Working from home isn’t always everything you thought it would be. You still have to work and you still have to take care of the home and kids as a mom.
Read on for the productivity tips and advice from work at home moms!
I started working from home about 5 years ago and it’s been a learning experience every day since. My name is Kristen Miller and I am a business coach and agency owner. My days are full of client work, business meetings, coaching calls as well as laundry, dishes, kid’s activities, and sometimes homeschool.
My number 1 piece of advice to succeed and increase your productivity as a Work at Home Mom is to set Priorities and Boundaries on everything. Know the key things you need to get done each day and plan your day accordingly. Create boundaries around your time and let your family know when you need to be left alone to work.
Productivity at home is all about preparation and organization. Use a project management tool or a to-do list app to stay organized all the time, even on the go. I created a product called The Get it Together, Girl! System to help moms stay organized.
Plan out your projects by task, so you can feel accomplished as you go, not just at the end. Know what you can do in those 5 or 10 minutes micro pockets of time when you can get work done.
Working from home has highs and lows, but just keep in mind that “work-life balance” is a constantly moving target. Set priorities and boundaries and stay organized so that you can enjoy your days as much as possible as a Work at Home Mom and improve your productivity.
I polled the women in my Facebook Group for their productivity tips – Side Hustler Mama Nation.
What’s your biggest Productivity tip for being a work at home mom?
This is what they had to say:
When the pandemic started, millions of people all over the world were forced to work from home. Thanks to it, everyone started to notice the great benefits remote work and freelancing suppose. According to FlexJobs, the average person can save up to $4,000 per year by working remotely; not only in commuting costs but also by not eating out. Thanks to it, its popularity increased. – Maria Jose Meneses, https://porch.com/advice/remote-work-and-freelancing
Schedule self care first – Jamie
Make sure your workspace is decluttered and feels peaceful! – Brittany
Let go of what you “should” do and focus on what is a priority that will help you actually reach your goal. – Ilonka
Make sure to do one thing at a time and be fully present in every moment. Multitasking is a trap. 💖 – Maria Kristina Viklund, https://www.mvce.group/
Set a realistic hour by hour schedule for your work and for your child, create activity stations in your home that’ll occupy your child (ie: coloring/writing table; blocks; toy area, dress up station, etc), keep healthy kid snacks close, have lunch time together, depending on the child’s age, rest at their nap time. Give your child a small task to build a sense of responsibility like depending on the age, the child can help staple documents or help gather pens. – Maryann Thedesigndiva Muhammad, MaryamsMark.com
Time block / schedule. – Michelle
Know when to ask for help! – Jessica Freeman, https://secure.betavirtualassistance.com/
Be gentle with yourself and prioritize your top 2-3 tasks.
So many times we want to accomplish so much in one day that we put too much pressure on ourselves and are disappointed when we don’t do everything we wanted. Working as an entrepreneur with young child(ren) isn’t easy. A lot is bound to happen in one day. – Stephanie Lee, https://www.therosebrand.com/
Just created a video tutorial on my favorite productivity tip. Use the Eisenhower Matrix to prioritize your task list! – Jennifer Hines, https://youtu.be/cHoixyx1HgY
As someone who teaches female entrepreneurs how to find their rhythm, this has been HUGE for my community 👇🏻Filtering your tasks through this question:
Is this a task that can be done with interruption?
If yes, then it can be done when the kids are awake.
If no, save it for early morning, nap time, or after bedtime. – Alexis Greco, http://instagram.com/alexistgreco
More productivity tips…
Block scheduling has been life changing for me. I make sure to schedule work time and kid time in my schedule and do NOT mix the two (as much as I can), so I can be present in both areas. I then have a to-do list that I wrote up the night before, so when I get up, it’s “go” time right away – no questioning what I should do or waiting for my brain to start working 😉 . I can jump in and not waste time. – Sariah Fouladi, https://pandasource.mailchimpsites.com/
As a homeschooling mom and working mom, having a schedule where you block out time, plus listing your must to do by day or week has made life much more efficient. – Alexandra Beth Neznámÿ, Homeschoolinginnyc.org
Focus on 3 key things daily, so you will be less anxious and feel less overwhelmed. Managing family life is easier if you collaborate and agree upfront on key deliverables. Best if you clear on your own values. 🍀 – Eva Tana Atara Sekeres
A very specific to do list. I find if I write like Instagram Posts for: 7/13, 7/14, 7/15 and cross off each small task (in this case when each post is made). It is easier for me to pick up where I left off. – Katie Carazo
I’m definitely a list writer in general, but something I do with housework though is set a timer. If I feel I don’t have enough time to clean a room as deeply as I would like, I try to do as much as I can in 10-15 minutes. I always end up getting more done than I thought I would! – Amrita Kinne, www.sewmanyplans.com
What are your top productivity tips?
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