by Laura Marshall

Created on: May 11, 2011

When you work at home and you have children around you it can be very difficult and so sometimes it's important to think about a few tips in order to help you to maximise your potential as both a worker and a mom. Working from home without a child around has it's distractions as day -to-day life can get in the way of work but with a child it can be even harder. 

* Be organised.
One of the most important tips to being a successful working from home mom is to be organised and this means planning ahead and knowing your schedule. Be aware of what tasks you need to complete for both work and home life and the deadlines for each of these. Work out when you will be able to complete each task and create a list or write it on a calendar or diary so you are able to refer to it easily. If you are organised then you are less likely to forget about what you need to do and you will be more likely to find the time in which to achieve it.

* Stick to your schedule.
Once you have planned ahead what you need to do and organised a schedule it's important that you try to stick to it. There will be distractions but if you have planned well you should be able to continue along with what you have planned. If you do begin to drift away from schedule this can create a huge back log of work which will apply lots of stress and can decrease your productivity.

* Explain to your children.
Explain to your children- and also your partner- about how important your work is. Often a person working from home can be disrupted and asked to stop their work for various family commitments but it is important that your family understand that when you are working you are to be treated as a professional and not as 'mommy'. Whilst you are working you should not be disturbed unless it is absolutely necessary and if you explain this to your family it will enable you to really switch off and be in working mode.

* Have your own space.
If possible a separate room to work in from your family life is a fantastic one to have but we are not all lucky enough to have a spare room that we can turn into an office or a work shop and so you will need to find another area to work in. Ensure that the space you have assigned as work space is fitted out with all useful equipment that you will need and a lockable drawer to prevent the wandering of important documents! If you have your own zone to work in you will find it easier to concentrate as well as being more organised with your files.

* Do not take on extra pressures.
Because you are at home during the working day it can be easy to take on extra pressures such as running errands, taking your children to extra classes and such like. Before you take on extra tasks check whether you can fit them into your schedule and ensue that you do not take on too much as you can end up suffering from burn out resulting in your work being of very poor quality and stress levels being high.

Being a work at home mom can have many positives attached to it which makes it seem like a very rewarding and viable option, however, it is important to remember that there can be distractions and it can be very stressful. If you are well organised and your family are aware of your situation and value you as a worker as well as a mother then you are well on your way to making a success at working from home. 

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