Juggling Work andFamily When You Work at Home
By Jill Hart
http://AskJill.cwahm.com
Q: I have been having my homebased business for three years now and I still am struggling with howto juggle business and being a mom, wife and housekeeper. How do youjuggle these? I want to make this a success, but so far it's only beenfrustration.
My children are four and two years old and they are more challengingthan most (not as in spoiled, but as in needing more time than theaverage kid). Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated!
A: GREAT question. My kids arenow seven and four, so I now have a little bit of help in myseven-year-old. But, I found something that I had written a few yearsago. In it, I listed my kids' ages as four and one. I could tell whenreading it that I had been very frazzled. I think I lived in a state offrazzled during those years when they were both so small.
My main advice would be to cut yourself some slack. Things will geteasier and more manageable as your kids get older.
My practical advice is this:
1. Plan out menus each week.
I literally spend about two minutes on this. I have a small magneticdry-erase board that I keep on my refrigerator. Each Sunday, I writeout the days of the week and what we'll have for supper that day.(Lunches almost always consist of sandwiches or something easy likethat since it's just me and the kids.)
This makes grocery shopping a breeze because I know just whatingredients I need. It also alleviates the nagging thoughts of "whatare we going to eat tonight?" If possible, have one or both of yourkids help you decide what to put. You'll be surprised at how much theylike having a say in what goes on that board!
2. Set a day for everything.
My days look something like this with children taking precedent:
Mondays - Housework andlaundry (and business tasks as time allows)
Tuesdays - Grocery shoppingand business tasks (this used to be during naptime, but is now duringschool time)
Wednesdays - Bible study andlunch with hubby (and business tasks as time allows)
Thursdays - Business tasksas much as possible with playtime in between
Friday - Take it Easy Day(and business tasks as time allows)
Saturdays - Laundry
Sunday - Church and a good,long nap
It seems a little boring on paper,but I can't tell you how much this little schedule has saved my sanity.I know when I get up in the morning what I have ahead of me and it isbroken into manageable segments. You'll find that scheduling thingsamongst these "main" schedule items will get easier and easier as youget used to the schedule.
About the Author:
Jill Hart is the founder ofChristian Work at Home Moms, CWAHM.com. Jill is a co-author of theupcoming book So You Want To Be a Work-at-Home Mom (Beacon Hill, Sept.2009). Jill welcomes work-at-home questions at
http://AskJill.cwahm.com
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
