Guest Guru: Jessica Ackerman – 3 Tips for Organizing Work and Family When You Work at Home
3 Tips for Organizing Work and Family When You Work at Home
By Jessica Ackerman of WallDecorandHomeAccents.com
Life is hectic and when you work from home, organizing family and job responsibilities can make it even more challenging. Finding a way to balance it all can be difficult, but it can be done. The tips below will help you get started and put you on the path to an organized lifestyle.
1. Time
The most important thing to think about when organizing your family and work time is the amount of time that you need to complete your work. Start by getting a weekly calendar book that is sectioned off by hours. Put in non-negotiable times, like doctor appointments, children’s bedtime routines, etc., first. Next, schedule in working hours. If it is possible to schedule those hours in during downtimes, that can be ideal, however, it is not always possible. If you need to be available to clients or coworkers during the daytime hours, you need to mark out time for that on the calendar.
2. Family Meeting
It is important that everyone in the household is on the same page about what your work time looks like. While some work at home moms may have the flexibility to play with the children at any point during the day, others need quiet time to work when they should not be disturbed. By making sure that everyone understands what is expected during working hours ahead of time, the guilt and worry associated with working at home dissipates.
3. Delegation
Delegate as many of the household chores to the children and other family members as possible. Even toddlers can pick up their toys and put books back in a basket. Older children can set the table for dinner and teens can be given the responsibility of starting dinner if need be. One of the most common problems with working at home is that the household chores still fall on the person who is there most often – mainly the mom who is working from home. While it is important to still be involved in the running of the household, delegating is not a dirty word. The more tasks that are delegated, the more time you will have to get done the work that needs to be completed.
Balancing a job at home and family life, especially in the presence of young children, can be exceptionally challenging. By setting clear goals and boundaries for when you need to work and when you can be mom, you define times when you can be completely invested in one role: When you are mom, you are mom. When you are working, you are working. With those times separated, you will begin to accomplish more while enjoying your life.
About the Author:
Jessica Ackerman writes for WallDecorandHomeAccents.com where she provides detailed instructions for decorating with outdoor garden wall clocks and tree of life metal wall art.
