Is Working From Home Working for You?

Before I started working from home I imagined how wonderful it would be. I seen myself managing my home and the office simultaneously with no problems. I pictured myself faxing, cooking dinner, sending out emails and putting in a load of laundry effortlessly. What I forgot was that I had two small children, a husband and a dog. When reality set in, I was over whelmed. Not only was my house and office a mess, but so was my mind. I actually found the first month of working from home to be harder than going to the office ever was. I almost quit. But there was something inside me that longed to conquer my house and corporate America. I wanted it all, and I knew that it was something worth working for. I came up with a few ideas to streamline the process. Before the end of the next month my home and my office were both running like a finely tuned engine.

The first step that I took was to get up early. First to rise gets the worm. I had to completely change my schedule. That first month I found myself playing a continuous game of catch up. I didn't get my house work done during the day, so I stayed up all night to complete it. The next morning I did not start working until late because I had been up all night. It went on and on. For me the worst feeling in the world is not completing a task. Finally I made up my mind that I by eight o'clock I would stop everything cleaning, typing, laundry no matter what needed to be completed. If I did not have adequate rest I was no good to anyone. Even though I had minimal supervision and the flexibility to make my own schedule I found that is was important to begin work as soon as possible. Now I begin my day before the sun comes up. I make sure that breakfast is prepared before my children wake up. I put a load of laundry in the washing machine, lay out their clothes, and see my husband off to work all before the clock strikes six.

The whole point of working from home for me is to maximize my time with the family so I my goal is to work steady until around eight, then I dress my kids and give them breakfast. By nine I'm ready to go back to work. The only way that I am able to accomplish such a large feat is by preparation. I set up a play area in my office loaded with coloring books, toys and educational movies to entertain my children. This minimizes the interruptions which allows me to be more productive. By 10:30 I stop and give them a snack that I prepared the night before while cooking dinner.

I cannot impress enough the importance of preparation. Make a game plan. I am sure you have heard this one, a time or two before but I think that it is important to reiterate "People do not plan to fail, instead they fail to plan" I don't know who came up with that one but they hit the nail on the head. By taking time to plan your days you actually save time and make your life easier.

Set goals. Buy a timer and set it. You would not believe the power of a clock. It allows you to focus and ultimately scratch things off of your never ending to do list. When you work from home and your are managing so many different projects simultaneously, just completing a small task feels good.

It has often been said that being a stay at home mom is the hardest job in the world. Don't believe me? Compounding the hardest job in the world with working from home is a daunting task. So take the time to make things easier. And be proud, because not many people can say they do what you