Work at Home Moms Can Stay Sane

As women who run businesses from home, we all know things can get hectic! Over here I have three little boys who wake at the crack of dawn. They run at "full throttle" all day long which can get very tiring for all of us. Sometimes things get overlooked. Sometimes I can't get to the phone in time. Sometimes the kids have to wait a few minutes for my attention. 

The point I am trying to make here is that it is not easy. There is no quick path to success. There is no such thing as "get rich quick working from home"! The truth is that we work hard. We work hard to be good mothers and to be good businesswomen. Everyone will have their own story to tell on how they make it work. This is how I do it.

Four strategies I have found that help me stay sane are:

1. Forget "balance" and focus on "blending" your work and family. These are two very important parts of your life and they are interconnected. The word "balance" gives me the image of two totally separate parts getting equal time. However, "blend" brings an image more like the yin and yang symbol - two parts that are mixed in together. If you can find ways to blend the different parts of your life, things may start to run more smoothly. My children are aware that I work from home and that is a reality for us. I do my best to blend my days so things move easily from work to play and back to work again.
2. Ask for help more often. Getting help with the household chores will ease the burden from you and help relieve any guilt you may feel when the house is a mess. Hire a cleaner to come in each week. How about mowing the lawn or walking the dogs. Are there any teens in the neighborhood that could help with those jobs? Any jobs that you do not enjoy doing - outsource them and spend your time doing the things that bring you joy in your personal life and your business. Ask for help and focus on your priorities. Which brings me to point 3.
   
3. Determine your priorities in all areas of your life. What is MOST important to you, your children, your spouse, your business? Write those priorities down and do them first every day. When it is "play" time with your kids or your family/friends - focus entirely on them. Play a board game, go for a walk, do some yoga, eat a healthy meal, take some action on your business, etc. First things first! Priorities are important and help you feel accomplished.
4. Believe in yourself. It can get hard sometimes. If you know deep down inside that you can do it - you can summon up the strength to keep going and never give up. Believe in your ability to be whatever you want to be. It can help to keep track of your goals, your little achievements, your big achievements, and the steps you took to get there. Sometimes we get too bogged down in what we didn't do, or didn't say, or didn't accomplish that we forget all the good we have brought to the world. Be kind to yourself. You deserve it.

These are some basic tips to help you stay on track as a mother working from home. I'd love to hear from you - especially women who work from home. What strategies do you use to help stay sane working from home??  Please leave a comment and let me know your thoughts.