Tips for Balancing Children and Working from Home

Of the most common questions about working from home is how to balance children and the time spent working. Here are some of the things I have done in the past to help allow me more time with my work:

1. Start the day at least 30 mins before your children get up. In the mornings before your children get up and before you start your workday allow yourself time to prepare for the day. Shower, get dressed and put on your makeup just as if you were going to work outside the home, this helps put you in the mind set for work.

2. Do any chores you have for the day before you start working, this way you are not thinking of all the things you need to do around the house while trying to work. I load the dishwasher at night and start it when I get up in the morning. I also put on the first load of clothes. You can always put the dishes up again and change the laundry over when you break for lunch.

3. Spend time with your children when they wake up; be sure you've tended to their needs first. This will not only cut down on the amount of time they spend interrupting you but it will also ease your mind while you are working.

4. Set aside specific hours that you are working and only work those hours. Be sure the rest of your family understands your schedule and to keep interruptions to a minimum. One of the hardest obstacles to overcome is your family not considering your work to be a job. You may need to hire a sitter for part of the day, maybe just a teen to come to your home for a few hours a day, or a family member.

5. Do not answer the phone or email unless it is work related during your business hours. A lot of time is wasted by friends and family wanting to chat because they don't realize that even though you are home you are working.

6. Take a full lunch hour and schedule breaks. Scheduling a lunch and other breaks will give you time during your workday to spend with your kids and will cut down on interruptions. This also gives you a chance to take care of things that pop up through the day.

I hope these tips help.