What to Consider Before Becoming a Work from Home Mom

I am very blessed to be a work from home mother who runs an online business and takes care of a toddler. Achieving my work from home goal took several years of hard work and sacrifice. It was a great feeling to leave an office job behind, and have a chance to raise my son while working from home. Before you consider becoming a work from home mom too, I will warn you of some common stress causes and daily chore issues that WAHMs (work from home moms) are faced with.

As a business owner and a professional I have worked from home since 2004 and I have included motherly duties into my work routine for 15 months now. Here is my work from home advice for all mothers who are considering taking that same leap;

Have A Family Sit Down To Discuss Ground Rules
Mommy is now staying at home but Mommy has a job to do. What this means for your entire family is that Mommy needs to have a schedule to work, when she is uninterrupted and the family needs to understand that Mommy being at home is not for play time or for going to the mall every day. A family meeting should be setup to discuss boundaries with children, as well as your spouse.

For children boundaries should include not entering Mom's workspace by yelling, screaming or making too much noise. Mommy could be on the phone with a client and having kids making noise in the background would be unprofessional. Also, discuss what interruptions are acceptable such as emergencies.

For spouses boundaries should include respect for work from home mom. What this means is comments such as "But you are home all day", should not be allowed. Mom is home, but she is working and taking care of work loads. Just because mom is at home it does not mean she can stop working to run to the post office or to run to the store to buy ketchup.

Discuss and Plan Any Family Budget Changes
Family budget can change if mommy starts to work from home. This can be caused by a different job assignment or by starting a home business. In some instances, money can be reduced or mom can be bringing in no money in the beginning. Explain to your family what budget changes can bring, such as no going out to eat or no purchases of new video games.

Dedicate Work Space In Your Home
An important factor to consider before becoming a work from home mom is creating a space dedicated only to mom's job duties. This can be a home office, preferably with a door that can be shut for privacy and the ability to have uninterrupted work hours. If you do not have a home office, setup a desk in a quiet area of your home. This area should be off limits to kids, and no items on mom's desk should be touched. If you have an area for a home office but no privacy door, consider purchasing a baby gate. This tells everyone that the area is off limits and they should not be entering without mom's approval.

Have The Ability To Zone Out Distractions
Multitasking is a must for a work from home mom. You must have the ability to exchange e-mails while avoiding kid toys being thrown at you from every direction. In a home there is always a lot of noise and action, especially with kids being home with you. Concentrate on your work assignments and never deal with two job projects at once. Handle each project one at a time, and do not get easily distracted by dogs barking or husbands complaining about dinner.

Set Times For Home Chores and Work Duties
What is your work from home schedule like? A work from home job should have set hours, such as five hours in the morning and three at night after kids are in bed. Always delegate work hours, that way your family will know when mommy is working and should leave you alone during those hours. Home chores can be done during hours when mommy is "off work". Grocery shopping for example should not be done at 3PM if your work hours are 8AM-5PM. Organizing a work and home chore schedule helps you but it also helps your family know when mommy is getting work done.

When Overwhelmed Speak Up
Before your big work change starts, the family should consent and be ready to pitch in with help. This means that your spouse should be ready to handle and reign in the kids if you are tired. It also means that your kids should know when not to bother you. You, as a work from home mom, should be ready to speak up and say when something is getting the best of you. Stress can follow from office work to work from home jobs, so be ready to communicate and delegate more.

A work from home opportunity can be a joy for both mothers and kids, but balancing home chores and work loads at the same time can be overwhelming. Staying at home means having to do home chores such as dishes and laundry, as well as running errands like grocery shopping. At the same time, work from home mothers have to pull double duty by completing work assignments, projects and bringing an income into the household.

In closing, I do feel truly blessed for the opportunity to work from home. With these suggestions and family guidelines, working from home should be easier for mom and the family.