The Best Tips For Work-At-Home Moms

This post is sponsored by Cox Communications, but all opinions expressed in this article are my own. More information on their internet services can be found here.

My day usually starts at 6:45am. I wake up with my two year old daughter standing over me playfully saying “All done sleeping Mom!” I look forward to cuddles and seeing her sweet face every morning, before I think about the work I need to finish that day! First coffee, breakfast for Olive, breakfast for myself, then we play. Next I get settled into work mode at my desk. Her Dad and I both primarily work from home so split hours as needed. I feel very fortunate to be a work-at-home mom, but it’s not always ideal. I hear it all the time: You’re so lucky you get to work from home. Yes, but ya know what? Being a being a work-at-home mom is hard.

“Let’s play in Olives room mama!” says Olive

“Mommy is working right now sweetie, come play with Daddy” her Dad reassures her

“Mommy mommy mommy!” cries Olive

Mom guilt quickly sets in…

Being a stay-at-home mom or working mom are both very hard, but being a work-at-home mom is a different kind of challenge.

Balancing family life and work life.

If you follow me on Instagram, you may have heard me mention that I’ve been trying to create more balance in my work life and family life. For those who don’t already know, I’m a content creator and writer. On any given day I create content, edit photos, write articles, chat with clients, and return emails. A camera, laptop, and Cox high-speed Internet fuel my work hours. It’s always been a dream of mine to work from home so I can be with my daughter and also build a business I’m passionate about. I’m beyond grateful for my career, but building a business from home with a small child isn’t easy.

Since Matt and I both work from home (unless we’re traveling) we split hours working and being with Olive. When Olive was a baby working from home was a lot simpler. I could write articles, edit photos, and send emails while she slept in her swing next to me. I knew that would change once she became a busy toddler, and I know it will change again with each new stage. Now with a two-year-old, it’s hard to get anything done while she runs around the house asking for snacks : ) I also can’t count on that hour and a half morning nap (since she dropped to one afternoon nap now! And let’s be honest some days she boycotts her nap altogether!) As a work-at-home mom I have to continuously adjust my routine to successfully work from home!

Finding the Right Routine for You

When I found out I was pregnant I was a full-time actor and writer. I was used to my busy work schedule, but during pregnancy I put acting on hold so I could focus on my new life as a mama-to-be. I started writing and creating content from home.

For the past two years I’ve loved being able to work from home, set my own hours, contribute to our household income, and be with my baby girl every day. As incredible as this is, it’s not all roses. I complete all my work in my home, for the most part, with my 2-year-old running around. If I have a project that takes extra focus I sneak out to get cozy in a coffee shop with my laptop…but more often than not my professional and personal life are completely intertwined.

The work-from-home flexibility is awesome, but it can be hard to manage work and home life – which like any other job can lead to burnout and stress. This is why it’s important to learn how to have a healthy balance and still be successful.

This can make it challenging to solely focus on one or the other. Since I work from home (and from my phone when I’m posting to Instagram) I find myself constantly being “online” and working! There are no set times when I’m clearly “off” or “on.” After about a year of living this way I began to feel overwhelmed. I was working late and getting frustrated because I couldn’t keep up with all my work and continue to be an attentive mother. My number one priority is my daughter, so I re-evaluated and made the decision to stop working for a medical nutrition company I wrote for and to just focus on my own content.

I knew I needed to make a change. I sat down and thought about how I could work more efficiently. After two years of being a work-at-home mom I’ve learned a lot! The following is what I practice to be successful and create more balance in my life.

Whether you’re already an established work-at-home mom or just starting out, I hope these work from home tips are helpful!

10 Tips for Effectively Being a Work-At-Home Mom

1. Get Your Child on a Schedule.

We try as best we can to stick with a set schedule for Olive. Eat at 8:00am, play until noon, nap by 1:00pm latest. Having a set schedule helps us manage our time and keep her happy. Once Olive goes down for a nap I consider that clocking into work. Since I know I’ll have this dedicated time to work I’m very present with Olive in the morning – eating, playing, running errands, and reading before nap time. This has helped me have distinctive work time and mom time. If Matts working and I’m with Olive that morning I don’t worry about all the emails I haven’t responded to or work I need to catch up on until it’s nap time.

2. Make a Creative Work Space.

We have a 2-bedroom home, so there isn’t an extra room for a “home office.” I created a cozy little corner office in our living room that consists of a desk, laptop, plants, candles, books, a cork board, calendar, and other inspiring decor that makes me happy! It’s a space I look forward to sitting and working. If you have a home office thats amazing, but you don’t need to have a room to make a space that inspires and motivates you to work!

3. Reliable high speed internet. 

When you work from home I cannot exaggerate enough how important it is to have a good Internet provider. I’ve been using Cox Communications for years because they provide panoramic high-speed internet. I need a reliable connection for uploading and download large photo and video files when I’m editing. Speedy internet is essential for quickly responding to emails, booking travel, or hopping on a video conference with clients. Matt’s a cinematographer and director so works with very large video files. Cox Panoramic Wifi offers the best experience for all my devices to run fast and at the same time that Matts are running! If the internet is ever running slow I can check the app to see which devices are using a lot of data.

You can check out all the Cox internet options here and update your service based on your specific needs.

4. Make a to-do list that includes daily + long-term goals.

I have two running To-Do Lists I manage each week. One for personal and one for work. I write down everything that needs to get done for the week, then each day I select 2-5 items I want to get completed today! As a working mom, most days I can only get around to finishing a few things, and thats ok, I just make sure I prioritize with my deadlines!

5. Learn to work in small increments.

Since I’m juggling my schedule with Matts and want to maximize time with my daughter, there are days I have to work with Olive running around. I work in spurts throughout the day when she’s self playing, eating, and sleeping. If she’s eating I might have 15 minutes to sit down and respond to emails or finish editing photos! When I spend quality time playing with her she usually wants to self play after and I get to catch on on work. Sometimes this is the only way to get anything finished!

Bonus tip: When I need extra work time I’ll create fun tasks for Olive to do, such as build her blocks as high as she can, put every toy in this basket for me, pick out all the red blocks, stack all the Tupperware lids then come show mom! I try to set up fun activities that are engaging and entertaining.

6. Utilize electronics, when you need to. 

Screen time guidelines suggest video time be kept to a minimum. We’re holding off on Olive watching TV for as long as possible (even through TRUST ME some days it would make working from home much easier!) When your kids are at an age where they watch TV you can use the Cox Panoramic Wifi app to set parental controls to keep settings appropriate for all ages. That way you can work during their screen time rest assured they’re only watching shows you approve of!

7. Set Clear Boundaries.

I had to learn the importance of keeping my roles as mom and professional separate as best I can! You will be more successful and happy if you don’t try to do both at the same time and instead, give each your full concentration for a set amount of time. That way you won’t feel like you are sucking at both!

Cox Internet recently launched a new feature I love that allows me to set up to five “downtimes” throughout the day with their Panoramic Wifi app. Meaning, I can set my internet to automatically shut off at specific times for set periods throughout the day. Since it’s automatic this gives me the opportunity to really “clock out” of work for that given period and completely dedicate this time to my daughter and our home. My emails and notifications don’t chime and I’m not left worrying about responding or checking anything. This also helps me not feel like I’m working all day and night! If my schedule changes I can easily login to the app and adjust my settings.

8. Get some quality sleep. 

Hey, we’re moms so we survive on caffeine and a lot of us work after our children go to bed. Other times we end up mindlessly scrolling on our phone or binging Netflix until the wee hours. Studies show that screen time before bedtime makes it harder to fall asleep and leads to a less restful sleep.

Studies show that screen time before bedtime makes it harder to fall asleep and leads to a less restful sleep.

Thats why I set up bedtime rules with our Cox Panoramic Wifi App. The internet turns off at 10:30pm (when we know we should be sleeping!) This way we can spend quality time and get some much needed rest. If you work at night after your little one goes to sleep make sure to stop working at an appropriate time to allow some self-care and sleep!

Bonus tip: If you wanted to finish something that night but didn’t have time, try making a list of what you need to do the next day and leave it on your desk. This will lessen anxiety of “needing to get things done now” and set clear goals for the following day.

9. Say yes to help.

It took me a long time to accept help. Now if Grandmas are in town we take all the help we can get! Luckily Matt and I are able to split our work time so the other can take over if we have a deadline or meeting. You can also hire help when you need it. Just cause you’re a work-at-home mom work doesn’t mean you don’t need outside support sometimes! You might need to ask relatives for help or hire a babysitter. That’s ok! It’s great for your child to have time with others so never feel guilty if you need to do this. Olive literally can’t wait for a day with grandma!

Bonus tip: If you know other work-at-home moms in your area you can work out a schedule to exchange childcare a couple times a week! This will give each parent a day or two to work while the other parent watches all the kids and vice versa.

10. Flexibility is key.

I’m continually changing my routine as Olive grows and has different needs. As I mentioned, when she was a baby it was easier to work and entertain her simultaneously. Now that she’s a toddler I work around her schedule. Once I get comfortable in a work-life routine things tend to change. I’m learning the importance of staying flexible and knowing that some days will not go as planned! It’s good to sit down every month and reevaluate what’s working and what isn’t, then adjust accordingly!

Being a work-at-home mom is amazing, but some days are harder than others. There are days I wish I had more time to work, but I wouldn’t change this lifestyle for the world. Being a work-at-home mom allows me the opportunity to stay home with my daughter and work towards my professional goals, and that’s priceless!

I hope these tips help you work from home more effectively with your little one! If you have other tips for us work-at-home moms please share in the comments. I’d love to hear them!

Xx,

Britt