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As technology advances, working from home becomes easier. Telecommuting is becoming mainstream, home-based entrepreneurs are more common than ever, and building a lucrative work-at-home career is no longer just a pipe dream, but is instead a reality for stay at home moms.
Of course, your dream job comes with its own unique challenges. Finding the time to get everything done when you’re surrounded by the loving chaos of home is one of the biggest.
1. Set a schedule
Although one of the benefits of working from home is creating your own schedule and working whatever hours you choose it’s smart to set a routine you can follow during the day. Working from home with children in the house is even harder. Even if you can’t strictly keep your schedule, just knowing one is in place will enable you to accomplish more during the day. Your children will get used to this schedule as well and things won’t be up in the air as to when you are working and when you can just be “mom.”
2. Organize Your Work
Figure out what needs your attention ahead of time and make it a goal to check those things off your to-do list first. This will allow you to make better use of your time and get more done. You can do this on a daily or weekly basis but it’s important to get a feel for the upcoming deadlines and assignments you have to complete. No matter what schedule you set up for yourself. If you get into the habit of doing this the disruptions that happen periodically throughout the day won’t throw you off track. I’ve mentioned Trello before as an invaluable tool for organizing just about everything in your life and keeping track of all of your tasks and upcoming due date. If you haven’t tried Trello yet, check it out, you won’t be disappointed – and, it’s free!
3. Keep your workspace separate
This is so important in order to help you get more work done during the day. When people often think of the typical work at home job they may envision sitting on the couch, in your pajamas, working away on a laptop. Although this may work for some, it’s not always the best way to get things accomplished, especially with children running around. Whether you set up your office in another room or carve out a corner of the bedroom, make sure you can shut the door and keep your space apart from the rest of the house. If possible pick a space that is quiet and doesn’t have a lot of traffic interrupting your work process. Don’t forget to get a stand-up desk. You can fashion one yourself for free, but movement and avoiding sitting all day will boost your productivity as well.
Working from home can be a great opportunity that will benefit your entire family. There are challenges that come with this lifestyle but nothing that can’t be overcome. You can incorporate many different strategies that will skyrocket your productivity. Be sure to keep the family involved so they know your schedule and become accustomed to the needs of your business. Following a few simple tips will have you on your way to many productive days ahead.
