8 to 6, 7 to 12, 11 to 2…what do these numbers all have in common?
They’re your work hours! Or are they? One of the challenges of working from home is separating home life from work and defining those hours that you are actually working.
I know because I have the same problem.
So, what’s a WAHM to do? The obvious answer is to sit down with the family and let them know that you are setting your work hours from X to X and they are not to disturb you during those hours. After all, you help to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table which you cannot provide if they are constantly interrupting you while you work.
When they stop laughing at you, you’ll need to figure out a more realistic solution. Don’t get me wrong, if your kids are older the above solution is good and may even work. But if you’re like me and have kids under the age of 5, then you have to find another solution.
I’m not talking about daycare. Daycare, to me, is a nice thought but it’s too expensive and since I’m home anyway why would I send them out (even if I could afford it in the first place)?
Which brings me full circle to my original question: how do I set my work hours so I can actually get some work done?
Answer: establish a schedule and stick to it.
Observe when your kids are occupied by themselves, i.e. snack time, play time, nap time, and work while they are doing those activities. Personally, I schedule phone calls and online meetings during nap time which works out well for me. If my son does wake up, then I mute the phone and give him a snack and/or activity to keep him occupied until I’m finished.
If your kids bother you while you’re trying to work anyway, get up off of your chair and play for 10 minutes. You should be taking 10 minute breaks for every hour you’re at the computer anyway, and playing with the kids is a good way to relieve stress and give them the attention that they crave at the same time.
Now, I’m not saying you should give into their demands. You set the time when you will take the break. “Mommy is almost done and when I am, you and I are going to play! But you need to practice your patience.” Can you tell that I say this quit a bit?
If all else fails, wait until they go to bed and work. Personally, I hate working at night because after 5 pm is “me time” and I am unhappy to give it up to work. However, some days are complete disasters and nothing gets done. So, I suck it up and work in the evening instead.
Same goes for the weekends. If I can’t get it done during the week, I’ll work on it during the weekend. You’d be surprised at how fast it goes when you have the incentive of beautiful weather and fun to drive you on.
Nobody’s schedule is going to be the same and it won’t be easy, at least not at first. You have to figure out what works for your family and your job. Admittedly, older kids are easier to work around than younger ones but it can be done with perseverance, flexibility, and a good sense of humor.
Do you have WAHM tips you’d like to share? Please leave a comment!
6 comments
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April 15, 2009 at 10:05 am
CA
Oh the joys of working at home. One thing that has helped me is having the kids playroom located in the room right beside my office. That way they know I’m close so they don’t need to check on me as often π I like your 10min break for every hour. I should try that too.
April 15, 2009 at 12:48 pm
April Hayman
We don’t have a playroom, yet. But it is at the top of my list of things to have in our new house. Our office is the fourth bedroom in our rental and it’s centrally located which makes it easy for me to keep an eye and ear out for the kids.
April 15, 2009 at 3:04 pm
Tamar Chansky
Great article, really helpful ideas. I have older children and we do “study hall” together,which means that they are reading and doing homework while I am answering emails of writing, yes usually it’s on my bed, sometimes in the living room, but always cozy time where we are being productive together, separately.
April 15, 2009 at 3:19 pm
April Hayman
Thanks, Tamar! My eldest son usually does his homework wherever I’m at when he gets home (at the kitchen table or in my office) so I do some of that already. It’s the two younger ones that I typically have to work around/with on a daily basis. Working on the bed while hanging out sounds like a good use of work and parenting time!
April 16, 2009 at 12:39 am
Mike
Be nocturnal. Does that count as a tip?
I’m insomniac. So I work when my kids sleep; I play with them when they’re awake.
Mike
http://somethingaboutparenting.typepad.com
Twitter: AboutParenting
April 16, 2009 at 8:22 am
April Hayman
Actually, yes, it is a tip. π You use what you got and if you are more of a night owl it makes sense to work then and not during the day. Just don’t lose out on too much sleep though!