10 Tips For Work At Home Moms (so you don’t burn out!)
Struggling to get it all done as a work at home mom? Struggling to make timne for a family life? You’re not alone! Working from home was already challenging enough, then came 2020 (need I say more?). Between your work, managing the home, raising your kids, making sure your relationships are still getting the attention they deserve, and keeping something left in the tank for you, it’s no wonder you’re left searching for tips for work at home moms!
It won’t always be glamorous or easy, but if you implement these 10 tips, you’ll be well on your way to creating a work-life balance that truly works for you and your family, instead of the hustle and grind of daily life that you’re likely used to.
Ready to really transform your work from home life? Read on!
Tip #1: Prioritize From the Start
Possibly the single most impactful thing you can do as a WAHM is to prioritize everything right away and continue to re-prioritize as needed.
The truth is “doing it all” means something different for everyone. Which is why you need to define what it means for you, but here’s a quick truth bomb: doing “it all” only matters when you do the right things. In other words, doing it all really means doing the most important things, AKA what you prioritize.
And let’s face facts: you will always make time for what you prioritize. So even if you think you have your priorities in check, yet still find yourself burning the candle at both ends and still not having time for everything else, I encourage you to do two things.
A Time Audit
Doing a time audit and tracking your time will help you to see what you really spend your time on instead of relying on your own interpretation. The truth is, sometimes we’re working on the wrong things without realizing it.
Where are you spending time on things that don’t really move the needle in your work, take care of your family, or fill your cup? Do you really need to market your business on 4 different platforms, volunteer for extra work from your company, mop your floors every day, cook every single meal, or entertain your kids 24/7? Comb through your list and decide how it’s positively affecting everything, and if it’s not – it’s not a priority.
Tracking your time will help you clearly see what you’re really prioritizing day-to-day so that you can then figure out what to streamline, delegate, or do without.
Prioritize
Now that you are aware of what you’re spending your time on, it’s time to prioritize. Decide on 1-3 main priorities in each category: work, family + relationships, home, and you (self-care, personal development, etc.) that have the most impact.
When you have your new priorities noted, slowly replace the less important things you’ve been doing with your new priorities.
Tip #2: Have Realistic Expectations
Expectations can set you up for one of two things: success or failure.
As a work-from-home-mom trying to do it all, your expectations are vital because the truth is, you can’t “do it all” but you can do the most important things – and you need to have expectations that reflect that.
It’s also really important that you have realistic expectations regarding your time. If you’re working from home with kids, you’re going to be interrupted, eventually.
Depending on your work and level of support with childcare, you may end up needing to wake up early, stay up late, or use the little chunks of time in your day to get work done. Which means that you can set yourself up for success and avoid frustration by expecting these situations.
Your mindset is everything when you carry the responsibilities of a WAHM, so choose the expectations and thoughts that serve you over the ones that disempower you. You will enjoy the work-at-home-mom life so much more when you do (yes, even on the most challenging days!)
Tip #3: Establish Foundational Routines
Routines are a work-from-home-mom’s best friend! They help everyone in your family know what to expect and keep things running smoothly.
They also reduce decision fatigue, which ultimately gives you more energy and clarity in everything else.
If you don’t have routines set up already, I’d strongly encourage setting up one routine in your work, with your kids, with yourself, and in your home.
Some ideas for routines that will make a huge difference are:
– Cleaning routine and home management
– Self care
– Work
– Routines centered on meals
– Quiet time/nap time
– Transition routines (helpful for shifting your focus when starting or finishing work)
Tip #4: Time Block
Time blocking is talked about often for good reason. Because it works!
One of my favorite tips for work at home moms is using time blocking, even when it doesn’t go perfectly.
It’s as simple as it sounds: when planning your day, block off a set amount of time to focus on getting one task done.
How To Use Time Blocking As A WAHM:
Think about your 3 most important tasks for the day and rank them from highest to lowest priority. Then note when you perform your best for each task (for example, I write my best work in the morning) and also note when you are least likely to be interrupted.
Find the common ground between all three criteria and block off a set amount of time for your tasks to schedule into your day.
Example: My highest priority of the day is writing a blog post. My best work is done in the morning before the day catches up with me, and my kids sleep until 8:00 AM. My ideal block of time for writing would be 6:00 – 8:00, which gives me two hours to focus on my one highest priority task.
Tip #5: Simplify and Streamline Your Work At Home Mom Life
You can really knock your to-do list out of the park by simplifying and streamlining every day processes and tasks. By doing this, you end up completing your task sooner and with less stress.
Start by identifying your biggest every day tasks (in life and business) and find ways to simplify and streamline each.
For example, if you need to post on social media every day, use templates for graphics and a scheduling tool. You can apply this to anything else, too.
Take cooking for another example: using a block of time once every couple weeks to make freezer meals will save you time cooking on busy weeknights. Throw it in the slow cooker in the morning or Instantpot in the evening. Meal planning can simplify and streamline your meal management.
SEE ALSO: WORKING MOM VS. STAY AT HOME MOM : PROS & CONS
Tip #6: Ask for Support and Help
You can’t do it all, by yourself, all the time without burning out and you shouldn’t expect to.
Invest in help in one or more of the following areas however often you need and can afford to:
– Childcare
– Business support (courses, coaching, outsourcing, etc.)
– Home management and cleaning
– Cooking and meal planning
Tip #7: Invest in Yourself
You can only “do it all” as a WAHM when you take care of yourself in the process. Some examples of investing in yourself, aka filling your cup are:
– Mental health support (online resources like BetterHelp and TalkSpace are great ways to maintain your mental health as a WAHM)
– Personal development (life coaching, parenting support, books, journals, etc.)
– Self-care for moms (whatever you define as self-care, invest in it)
Tip #8: Be Present with Your Kids
Your kids need one-one-one time with you so their cups are full, which sets them up for success when you need to work and they are playing independently.
Every child has different needs and frequencies when it comes to intentional time with you. The easiest way to figure this out is to be aware of your child’s needs, complaints, favorite activities, and so on for the next week or so. Take notes throughout the day and find common themes and times, which will reveal their ideal “connection windows” (AKA when they need your focused attention the most).
When you figure out their ideal connection windows, block that time off before and after each work session.
Examples of ways you can be more present with your kids:
– Stop multitasking all the time, especially right before you try to work
– Use their connection windows and focus on them
– Follow their lead and do their favorite activities first
– Gather entertaining ideas in advance and have a master list of activities ready to use (grab-bags and boredom busters, for example)
Tip #9: Plan Accordingly
After implementing the previous tips for work at home moms, you should be ready to put it all together in a flexible, yet structured plan.
Gather your notes, ideal time blocks, routines and any other important information and plan your week or month.
You can use a paper planner (my favorite is The Living Well Planner for general planning and The Business Anchor Planner by Restored 316 for business related planning) or go digital and automated with tools or calendar apps (my favorites are Trello, Google Calendar, and Google Keep.)
If you don’t want an hour-by-hour schedule, use a general AM, NOON, AFTERNOON, and EVENING theme.
The key to getting it all done as a WAHM without burning out is to make a realistic schedule that is flexible and has plenty of white space for the unexpected.
Tip #10: Have Fun and Enjoy the Work At Home Life!
My absolute favorite tips for work from home moms, but really owning this work-from-home-life is to just have fun with it!
This is so important for not burning out because you can have the best schedules and strategies, but if you’re not truly enjoying the journey, you will eventually burnout in some way or another, and I can say that with full honesty because I’ve been there.
So, let yourself have fun and enjoy the process!
Conclusion
Here are my 10 biggest tips for work at home moms to avoid burnout:
Prioritize From the Start
Have Realistic Expectations
Establish Foundational Routines
Time Block
Simplify and Streamline
Ask for Support and Help
Invest in Yourself
Be Present with Your Kids
Plan Accordingly
Have Fun and Enjoy the WAHM Life
Which one will you be implementing first? Let me know in the comments below!
