Seven Tips to Working from Home Successfully with a Family

Seven Tips to Working from Home Successfully with a Family

Working from home can present unexpected challenges. The biggest of these is finding a balance between family and work. This article, written by a work-at-home mom, presents 7 tips that can help anyone strike a balance between their home life and career.
The debate between stay at home parents and working parents seems to have shifted in recent years. The belief still held by many today is that o needs to have a successful career before a family. However, it seems as if more parents, especially mothers and a growing number of fathers, are beginning to believe that their time is better spent at home raising their families. With the rising need for two incomes to pay the bills, many parents are finding that working at home is the best solution for them to get the best of both worlds. As a work-at-home mom myself, here are some tips that I have found very helpful since I started to work at home.
When working with children at home, interruptions are bound to happen. Having a set schedule each day allows for some routine and lets children know what is coming next (once they are old enough to understand). Block out any time that children are at school, napping or with the sitter as time to work. During this time, return any phone calls while you have some quiet time. Also, make to-do lists each day either first thing in the morning or the night before. This will help you stay o task and see what your work priorities should be each day, as well as keep you more organized.
Make sure that you have a space set up just for you to work at, including your computer and any other equipment and supplies you need. You may even want to set up two different workspaces to allow you to be in more places with your children while you work. For example, I not o have my office set up, but I also have a few feet set aside in the family room with a laptop where I can jot down any ideas while my children are playing. Also, have special toys set aside to keep children occupied while you are working. If you have an infant, having a swing in the room can give them a place to play or take a nap.
While most of the focus of working at home is o the children, your spouse will also feel some effects from all of the changes. The main things to be careful of are taking your spouse for granted and not ensuring that you have time set aside to spend just with them. Some ways to avoid these are:
Make sure that when your spouse comes home from work, you do not immediately ask that they watch the kids while you get some work done.
Block off a chunk of time in your schedule at least o day each week to spend time with your spouse, whether it is to go out to dinner or just enjoy a movie together after the kids go to bed.
You will find that your spouse supports you and your business more and is willing to help out to ensure that your business is successful.
If there is o thing that you should remember above all, it is this: never be afraid to ask for help. Asking for help does not mean that you have failed or that you are weak. In fact, knowing your limits and where to go for help shows wisdom and strength. Help can come in the form of a housekeeper taking care of keeping the house clean or finding a sitter to watch the kids for a few hours a week so you can have some time alone to focus o your work. It can even come in the form of hiring an assistant to help take care of any work overload.