WAHMs: How to Find More Time for Work

Let's face it. Being a work at home mom is stressful and hectic, especially when you have more than one young child at home. After mediating your children's spats, cleaning and re-cleaning the kitchen, preparing and putting away meals, and trying to keep up with the laundry, how can you find time to work? Try a few of these hints to create more time for work, and hopefully a little extra time for yourself as well.

1. Get up earlier. Many women who work at home find that working late into the evening is the only way they can accomplish all that they need to do. However, most women who work until the pre-dawn hours find themselves exhausted and short-tempered in the morning. Instead of being able to greet her waking children with a hug and a smile in the morning, the late-night working mother instead finds herself awakening to see her children standing at the side of her bed. With a groan she either begs them to go play for a little while longer, or she drags herself out of bed. The result? Guilt. Wasn't part of the reason for being a WAHM so that she would be happily available to your children at all times?

If it is possible for you, work for a couple of hours after your children go to bed at night, but go to bed early enough that you will be able to be awake and welcoming for them in the morning. You may find that by getting up earlier, you can accomplish much more work before your kids awaken than you could in the twilight hours. Plus, you'll feel better about yourself as a mom.

2. Foster independence. By teaching your children to do a little more for themselves, you will spend less time cleaning up after them and doing basic tasks for them. For example, when my son was able to sit at the table to eat, we considered him old enough to take his plastic dishes to the sink when he was done eating. He began clearing his place consistently before he was three, and now his 16 month-old-sister is doing the same thing with her sippy cup. We have also taught him the importance of using a napkin, wiping up spills, taking himself to the bathroom, etc. Our children also clean up their own toys and put their dirty clothes in the hamper. It is not unreasonable to expect your children to take care of themselves as they are able. Rather, this personal discipline will prepare them to be productive, capable adults. Training your children to do more for themselves will not happen overnight, but by encouraging them to do so consistently, you will save countless hours in the future.

3. Require rest time. Even if your children are too old for naps, if they are preschoolers, they are not too old for some quiet time. When your toddler begins to skip his afternoon nap, do not stop lying him down for a period of time in the afternoon. If he does not sleep, allow him to look at a book or puzzle in his bed. Just because your child does not sleep during this time, does not mean that the down time isn't beneficial for him. Teach him early on that rest time is required, just as if he was taking a nap. Give him 30-45 minutes of quiet time before he gets out of bed to play again. If your children are still taking naps, coordinate them! I have no qualms about keeping my daughter up an hour longer than I would otherwise so that she can sleep at the same time as her brother. Nap and rest time are important for your children and essential for you.

Working from home is a challenge. Finding time for your children, your work and yourself can seem impossible. By encouraging your children's independence, getting up earlier and making the most of naptime, you will take large strides towards perfecting this difficult balancing act.