10 Ways to Work at Home without Losing Your Mind!

Have you just begun the Work At Home Journey?

Were you so delighted to be able to say to the kids "No More Daycare"? When you could get up and work in your pajamas, were you just elated? Have you had illusions of PTA meetings and amazingly cooked dinners with a beautiful house because you are 'working' from home?  Yeah...me too..

The hard reality of being a Work at Home parent is really simple. It's WORK! People laugh all the time when I explain I actually work harder now than I ever did going to work. All these people can't imagine how 'working from home' is actually harder, but they have no clue. They don't know how hard it is to have a train of thought with a toddler at your feet constantly exclaiming "mommy...mommy..." Usually, they are the ones' looking at you when they need a PTA volunteer (You're home anyways). It's amazing the lack of understanding when I try to vent any of my work frustrations, "You work at home, you get to be with your kids all day (note:ALL DAY), what do YOU have to complain about!" Many just assumed I was SUPER MOM, and really just did the Avon thing on the side. However, my little Avon thing on the side is my full-time income.

I have learned several things along the way of being a work- at-home mom for four years. I have made all the mistakes one could when make when starting to work from home with kids. I'm not an expert, but can speak from experience. To save you from losing your mind, here are few things I learned.

10. Set the Stage

Set the stage for actually doing some work. Sometimes all we need is a little space. A desk and chair we can call our workplace. For me, getting up still at a workplace time, getting dressed (no pajamas), putting on makeup (well I am an Avon Lady), and going to  my desk was a way to get myself in the work mode. Even with my four year old trailing me with coloring books to do her 'work'. One boss always told me to dress for the position I wanted. I wanted to become a successful Avon lady so dressing in pajamas and sitting with my rear on the couch was not the uniform. Once I began to "set the stage" for my success, I found myself getting better and feeling amazing about my accomplishments.

9. Your Calendar and To Do List are your Best Friends.

Being in business for yourself doesn't mean that your schedule is fly by night. You made a GOAL to work at home so you can be there for the kids, but make sure you plan your day. Know exactly when that day you are going to work.  Make a plan and work that plan. Your plan is mapped out on your calendar and to do list. For me, I have to make a to do list every week to make sure I accomplish what I need to. If you need to go out of the house to prospect for new clients or team members, you pencil an hour in. WRITING it down mentally forces you to commit to it.

8. Don't be afraid to say NO, and do it often.

This was the hardest thing I ever had to learn. As soon as I turned in my two weeks to my 9-5, I had lined up several volunteer opportunities because I 'magically' would have HOURS of time. I signed up for everything under the sun. One year I was a church leader, scout leader, classroom volunteer, and soccer coach. I fell prey to the "Well, I am the only parent at home at that time of day." So, I jumped head first into as much volunteering in the kids' activities as I could. I learned a lot in that year. I had lots of amazing experiences as a volunteer that I will forever treasure, and I will never forget the kids I got to pour into for that time. However, I know that I cannot spread myself that thin. My health and my business suffered drastically because I couldn't say one magical word, NO.  Now I am still a volunteer, but I am much pickier on how I give of my time as I believe volunteering is one of the best gifts you can give to children. I am able to say Yes from a much healthier place in my life. When you say no, you are not being mean, not neglecting your responsibilities as a parent or to the organization, you are protecting yourself. You can say NO to lots of things so you can say YES to the things that matter.

7. Work time is sacred, not negotiable.

Steven Covey once said "The key is to not prioritize what's on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities." Several things will come up that invades on this sacred time. Take that calendar and insist that your work time is already booked. Don't check Face book, Email, Twitter or any other distractions during that specific time. Set that stage, pencil in the time, and do your best to focus just on what you are working on.  Do not accept personal phone calls. You can control SOME of the distractions. During that time you are punching a time clock to yourself.

6. You budget a minute, IT WILL TAKE AN HOUR.

Alas there are distractions you cannot control. For example, if you are working-at-home with kids, inevitably as you are writing a very important blog post they will break out into the fight of WW3!

Even without kids, you will have the door, the phone, the house, and many other distractions. These will make those 30 minute tasks take 2 hours. Decide to stick to that to-do list the best you can, but award yourself for ANY accomplishments. This will keep you motivated to the continue pressing forward. Keeping the kids busy with quiet activities, school work, reading time always gave me twenty minutes of quiet work at a time. Within those twenty minutes of solid quiet time for the kids, I decided that was solid work time and was able to bite off the big monster of a task. I decided my work day was divided into twenty minutes at a time and I quit setting ridiculous expectations of myself. (If the kids were home, I knew to expect the task would take 10xs longer and that was ok)

5. You are still important, recharging is a must.

I think many stay-at-home and work-at-home parents have issues with this one. I had to be reminded that just because I worked at home all day I needed to take time off. I deserved a chance to be away from house and family, just because I cleaned the house and worked from the house all day long. My husband was amazing about this making sure to take the kids and let me go hang out at Starbucks to play on my phone or crochet. If you cannot get time away, don't feel guilty about leaving the dishes in the sink and close you door and play a game, read a book, or do your nails :) The best mom for your kids is one who is not worn out and frazzled, but one who is rested and recharged.

4. You are not perfect. 

My kids are my gifts from God. It has been an awesome gift to work from home and watch them grow. They have been an awe inspiring experience everyday... Ok, well not everyday. Don't beat yourself up for those days you can't stand these beautiful creatures. Your not going to be perfect everyday and that's ok. Many times, I wasted energy and emotion upset at what made me feel like I was being a bad mom because I didn't cherish every SECOND with my kids. (Especially the days my daughter would come down crying with a cat dressed in doll clothes and she would be scratched). My kids are amazing and well adjusted even though I had those moments! Those were times I had to take a breath and stop.

3. The time you invest=profit you make.

 "When you do more than what you're paid for, eventually you'll be paid for more than you do."-Zig Ziglar

 I can honestly relate to this quote. When I wasn't using a calendar, saying yes all the time, and constantly worried about being a bad mom, I was putting maybe 10-15 hours a week into my business. Working part-time hours did not replace my full-time income. This can be a very demotivating factor especially for parents of young kids, not seeing money quickly is a hard reality. For entrepreneurs especially this is difficult as we want to see the fruits of our labor quickly. In order to yield some fruit, you must work the field. . To make sure that happens, try to increase you scheduled work hours by 5 each week and see how much more your business will increase!

2. Always be on the hunt even with kids

My business requires me to leave the house to go searching for new business partners and clients. However, being a work-at-home parent this can be quite the undertaking. Grabbing diaper bags, strollers, coloring books, and all the tools for client acquisitions can be quite intimidating. Don't let that stop you from hunting for new partners or clients. Go to places that are kid friendly, where you can let them loose in a safe environment, and still talk to people. Places like the park, fast food restaurants, play gyms, playgroup meet ups, splash pads, and anywhere you are waiting for a service.Yet, my kids are the part of the life. In fact, my daughter used to ask cashiers, "My mom is the Avon lady, want a book?" My kids help me in all aspects of my Avon business. Now, every time we leave the house, I always make sure I am 'loaded' with my brochures, and an attitude of always looking for someone new. The kids now see it as a game to find someone new to take an Avon brochure!

1. Not everything has to be done by YOU.

Just like it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a family to run a business. Don't let those little hands stay idle. If you need to stuff brochures, mailers, or any remedial task utilize the little people! We have used our family business as a means to pay them for their work, and to show them what it actually takes to earn enough money to do the fun things they want to do. Delegate and use your current opportunity to teach your children an even more valuable lesson, the value of earning money and hard work. How about the house? If you are able financially have a housekeeper come in once a week. Take turns with another parent to do carpool. Another great idea I have seen is soup clubs, where people take turns making dinners and share recipes. You are amazing but you are not a superhero, accept any help and utilize the chance to return it.

Like I said, I am not an expert, but these were lessons I have learned over the course of working from home for four years. I hope I can help any work-at-home parents who are beginning their journey, or feeling crazy with even just one of these tips.