| Ladies can you relate to this scenario? Laundry is | | | | about 15 minutes. My kids are old enough to put |
| piling up, the next meal is waiting to be prepared, | | | | their clothes away on their own, so I simply put |
| children are waiting to be picked up or dropped | | | | the folded laundry on their beds - they are |
| off, errands need to be run and to top it all off - | | | | expected to put it away neatly in their closets |
| you are a work from home mom! In the midst of | | | | and dressers. |
| all that busy-ness you actually need to get some | | | | Work time management tips for the work at |
| non-domestic tasks completed, like write reports | | | | home mom. Pay attention to your most |
| or research information or make business phone | | | | productive hours during the day and make sure |
| calls. Is it possible to have the best of both | | | | you schedule your work tasks during that time |
| worlds: domestic and professional? How do those | | | | period. Remember to take advantage of kids' nap |
| other work at home mom's appear to get it all | | | | times or music/sports practice times - these are |
| done? The answer is simple: time management | | | | great work times for mommy! For some of my |
| mastery. Here are a few tips from work at home | | | | friends, the mid-morning is best. For others, |
| moms just like you and me that others have | | | | mid-day or late afternoon. I use all of those time |
| found useful for keeping on track. | | | | slots as well as the late evening and late night |
| It all comes down to schedules, routines and | | | | time slots. We work at home moms have to use |
| habits. I know it seems so difficult to find a | | | | all the resources available to us! |
| routine because there are so many unexpected | | | | I follow the 'break it down into smaller chunks' |
| events that you need to be ready to handle. | | | | principle for both work and home tasks. For work, |
| However, once you get into the habit of following | | | | I realized that my tasks are best defined by |
| a routine, you will find more time during the day | | | | where I need to do them: at my computer, on |
| for those unexpected events, and you will find | | | | the phone, at my desk/home office, or as an |
| yourself more relaxed and ready to take on the | | | | errand. I combine phone tasks with my errand |
| tasks of the day. It feels good to get all your | | | | tasks by using a hands-free bluetooth headset |
| tasks done, and you will want to do more of it | | | | with my cell phone. Then I can get on the road to |
| once you get a taste of the power of a daily | | | | run my errands while also calling people on the |
| routine. | | | | phone. This is a tremendous time-saving tip. |
| Cleaning and laundry tips for the work at home | | | | Be sure to practice safe driving! Yes you are |
| mom. If you're like me, then you find once you | | | | Superwoman, but you can't call on the cell phone |
| start doing your cleaning tasks it may quickly get | | | | and dig for files in your attache case while |
| overwhelming and before you know it you've | | | | soothing the baby in the back seat and |
| taken up half your day. I find that I end up | | | | attempting to put on makeup while drinking your |
| neglecting my other tasks in order to get my | | | | morning coffee! You can do it all - just not all at |
| cleaning done. This is not a wise use of time for | | | | the same time! |
| the work at home mom. | | | | The most important concept to remember is this: |
| I have found that instead of taking on big cleaning | | | | you can't allow your domestic tasks to hold your |
| tasks, I break them up into smaller 15-minute or | | | | work tasks hostage. The reverse principle is also |
| less sub-tasks that I accomplish during different | | | | true. You must be able to successfully balance |
| phases of my work day. I find that doing it this | | | | both sides of your life: work and home. With a |
| way allows me to feel like I'm staying on top of | | | | little practice and some diligence to establishing |
| my cleaning tasks, while also getting my other | | | | successful routines, you will find that you are |
| work done. I call these my 'cleaning moments' | | | | getting more things done during the day and |
| throughout the day. | | | | feeling much more successful with both your |
| I routinely tidy up these areas with my cleaning | | | | home and work life. |
| moments throughout my day: bathroom counter | | | | The last thing to remember is this: schedule some |
| fast wipe, floor quick sweep and spot mop (only | | | | 'mommy time' too. If you are like me and most |
| in the high traffic areas), toy cleanup before nap | | | | other work at home moms, then you need to |
| time (with the kids' help!). I still find that I need to | | | | realize how important your well -being is to the |
| have dedicated cleaning days every so often, but | | | | rest of your family (whether they realize it or |
| my cleaning tasks no longer hold my work day | | | | not). My home revolves around my ability to keep |
| hostage. | | | | things moving: kids need to be taken care of, |
| For laundry tasks I follow the same 'cleaning | | | | husband must be sent on his way, home chores |
| moments' principle. Break it down into smaller | | | | must be done and work tasks must be |
| sub-tasks that can be scheduled or accomplished | | | | accomplished. I am the central hub of all of these |
| whenever time allows. For me, I do not allow the | | | | activities. If I don't take care of myself, then all |
| laundry to pile up so that I must dedicate an | | | | the other tasks will not get done. |
| entire day to laundry. Instead, due to my family | | | | I schedule 'mommy time' into my routine each |
| size, I prefer to do one or two loads of laundry | | | | week - you should too! Here are 'mommy time' |
| per day. We have a laundry sorter, and all the | | | | tips for you: take a hot bath whenever you can; |
| family members know how to correctly sort their | | | | have your nails done at least once a month (I |
| laundry so mommy (or daddy) can quickly and | | | | prefer twice a month - and with my bluetooth |
| easily throw a load into the machine. | | | | phone I can get work done too!); get a babysitter |
| While the clothes is washing or drying I can focus | | | | and then go out for a dinner date at least once a |
| on work tasks or other 'cleaning moments' tasks. | | | | week with your husband or with your girlfriends; |
| The real issue is what to do when the clothes is | | | | have a massage at least once a month (or more |
| dry. I make sure to discipline myself to fold the | | | | if you can schedule it in!). |
| laundry as soon as it is dry. This usually takes | | | | |