When you work at home it’s as much fun as it is challenging. Over the past thirteen years I’ve been a work-at-home mom who has also homeschooled two kids simultaneously. I’d love to say that every week is exactly the same and there are never any hitches in the system, but that would be a big, fat lie. Not even two days are the same.
Striving to meet deadlines while teaching kids to read and memorize multiplication tables is a juggling act of monumental proportions. Over the decade or more that I’ve done this I’ve come to find there are five things that are non-negotiables for my success.
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Create a dedicated workspace
It’s not enough to sit on the couch or find a place at the dining room table. For me, a dedicated space is crucial to my success. Over the years, it’s been everything from a corner of our open-plan living area, to a room with an actual door.
See, I need a place to spread out, set my papers, keep lists, and get into a groove. When I’m dialed in, I am super productive. It’s vital for me to arrange my thoughts and my surroundings so I can hone in on the work. It’s also a key ingredient for making videos and consulting with clients via video chat.
Just as important is having the space is being able to walk away from the work. I need to be able to let it go. When it’s on the kitchen table, I’m constantly drawn to it, plus all the other activities going on in the house. I start getting stretched and I’ve found that when I’m stretched too thin, I’m not good for anyone, my family or my clients.
**A note on this – make it pretty! You have to feel relaxed and calm in your space. Even if it’s just a cute pencil holder and a picture on the wall. Make it a place you WANT to be.
Have a plan
I am not good at doing things at specific times, but I thrive with a general outline of tasks to accomplish. I keep a very simple paper calendar with no more than three things on it. I print it off every week and keep it in front of me as I work. On it, I put only my main tasks for the week, the ones that must be done.
You may choose to use a digital calendar or you might need more info on yours. Do what works for you. I work on three main properties every week. For each one I focus only on three things. For me, that’s nine must-dos over the week. I’ve found that’s plenty for me. All the other stuff is fluff.
I mess with the fluff when I need a break, for a limited time…
Set a timer
I love what I do so much I would have no problem spending 18 hours or more working, with barely a break. But that’s not conducive to family life. I need boundaries and I need motivation so I don’t waste time.
To keep me motivated, I use timer cubes I set for 30, 60, and 90 minutes, depending on the task. When the timer goes off I get up, walk around, check on my kids (who are now self-sufficient learners), and focus on something different than my screen for a few minutes.
These mental breaks make me way more productive and help me maintain focus. If anything, I highly recommend a timer for social media and even phone calls or video chats.
Working hours
Over the years I’ve tried working early in the morning, late at night, between homeschool lessons, whenever I could fit it in, and with set hours. I discovered that having set working hours is best for me.
Having a timed deadline is the best way for me to feel the urgency of getting my work done and the responsibility of “the buck stops here.” Because I work at home it means it’s all on me. There are no team members, no one else to take the blame if it doesn’t get done. It’s just me. So, having set work hours helps me take the work seriously and feel the urgency.
Set hours also require me to do everything else outside my work time. Doctor’s appointments, haircuts, grocery shopping, and all the other errands have to happen outside my work hours. I adhere to these hours as best as I can.
I set my hours for the morning, while my kids are doing school, into the early afternoon so I’m done in time to take my kids to sports practice and music lessons.
This is my job. It’s different from other people in that I don’t have to leave the house, but I’m still working. Trust me, I’m working hard.
I also require others to work around my work hours. There are people who think I sit around eating bon bons and watching reality TV all day. I don’t. I’m working. And whenever they think I should be able to hang out with them at 10 in the morning, I let them know: I’m working.
Be flexible
This is the most important piece of the puzzle for me. I have to stay flexible for the best results, both professionally and personally.
Every day brings its own challenges. I keep an open door policy for my kids who are homeschooling and some days they need more help than others. There are phone calls that take longer than usual, client needs that require extra attention, web issues (and I’m the IT department), and home responsibilities.
The more flexible I am, the better everything goes. Sure, all the things I listed above are my ideal. But they don’t always happen.
Just last week we had a houseguest so I was working from the kitchen table instead of in my office. My son fell off his skateboard and banged up his knee. That took some time out of my day. Then the world decided to go all topsy turvy and play host to a pandemic. And well, you know how that’s going.
See, flexibility. I take each day as it comes and make adjustments as needed. It’s all part of the fun of being part of the work at home demographic.
If you either find yourself in this new reality or are wondering how it all works, I say “Good on ya!” Find some space, make a plan, use your time wisely, stay flexible. The rest will fall into place.
What are your most pressing questions about working from home?
Photo by Paige Cody on Unsplash
Photo by Dillon Shook on Unsplash
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