3 Tips to Help You Balance Your Home Business & Family Life

As a work-at-home-mom (WAHM), you already have an entrepreneurial spirit and a get ‘er done attitude that helps you get a great deal of work accomplished in an average day.

But of course, as most WAHMs know quite well, there will still be plenty of times when a kiddo is home from school with an earache, the dog needs to go the vet for shots, the washing machine stopped working and your favorite client just asked you to crank out three extra projects by the end of the week.

While dropping everything and jetting off to some private beach and sipping frosty beverages is one way to approach these situations — and really, no one would blame you if you did — there are also a variety of tips that can help you balance your work and family lives, especially on the days when you feel like everything is crashing down around you.

Establish a Routine

Just like your little ones thrive on a regular routine, you will, too. For example, if your kids are in school from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., set your home office hours for 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Schedule chores on specific days. For example, shop for groceries on Monday and set aside Thursday for vacuuming. Of course, there will be days when you will head out to a much-needed lunch with a girlfriend during “work time” or you don’t get to the store until Tuesday, and that’s okay. The schedule is a goal, but not necessarily set in stone, and knowing what to expect each day will really help you.

Turn Your Smartphone into Your Co-worker

To be an effective WAHM means having useful tools that you can take on the go. Instead of that old model smartphone with hardly any memory and a dinged screen, treat yourself to a new phone like the Samsung Galaxy Note7. This state-of-the-art smartphone features Android 6.0 Marshmallow and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, which means you can download tons of work-related apps and programs and answer emails without the phone freezing up on you. The impressive 5.7-inch screen is easy to see, even in bright sunlight. This means when you are playing with your kids at the park on a sunny morning, you’ll be able to see what you are doing if you have to answer a quick work email. The phone also features a handy S Pen so you can jot down notes on the device with the ease of a pen, and it is spill- and splash-resistant, so if your tots spill their milk on it or accidentally drop it, it will keep on going.

Accept That the Word “No” is a Complete Sentence

One thing that many WAHMs have in common is having to deal with people who think that since you work from home, your time is somehow different than those whose shifts are in a traditional office building. Learning to say “no” to others — even close friends and family — will go a long way in helping you juggle your many tasks. Yes, it is nice to volunteer at your child’s school, but this does not mean you have to bite off more than you can chew as PTA president — an hour a week or so in the classroom is still great. It can be hard to tell others a polite “no,” but once you realize how powerful and freeing it is to truly have more control over your time, you’ll find it easier to do.