Article
Five
Tips for Working at Home With Kids
by Susie Cortright
You can stay at home with your children while still advancing in your
career. So how do you make it work? Here are a few tips:
1. Control your environment.
A clearly designated office will help you stay on task. And an organized
workspace will help minimize distractions and make the most of the limited
time you have available.
2. Break work into manageable chunks.
It’s all about to-do lists. When my three children are awake, I strive
to give them my full attention, though I always have a to-do list on
the table. The list just seems to grow all day and when naptime rolls
around, I’m focused and ready to tackle the tasks at hand.
3. Make the most of quiet time.
When are you most productive? It may be possible for you to get work
done during the day (while your children are napping or at school),
but, chances are, the best opportunities for productivity occur when
your children are down for the night. My work day, for example, typically
begins at 4 a.m. That way, I can spend uninterrupted, quality time with
my kids during the day and remain relatively rested.
4. Remember your priorities.
A child whose mother ignores her in order to work at home is probably
better off in the care of someone who is less distracted.
5. Get help when you need it.
Lesley Spencer is the founder and director of Home-Based Working Moms.
http://www.hbwm.com
"I think it is important to understand it is very difficult to
be a successful mom and worker at the same time," Spencer says.
"If you are working, your children are going to need your attention.
Of course, you can get by with short amounts of work or phone calls
but repeated attempts to work while your children are with you is not
fair to them or you," she says. "I feel it is best to work
while your children are asleep or at school. If you are working more
than about 10 hours a week, you probably need outside help to give your
children the attention they need. Consider part-time preschools, Mother’s
Day Out programs, neighborhood babysitters, family or friends or a babysitting
co-op to help with your child care needs."
Copyright © 2003 Susie Cortright. All Rights Reserved.
Susie Michelle Cortright is an author and founder of the award-winning
Momscape.com, a website and online store dedicated to nurturing busy
women. You can download her FREE ebook: "Listen, Learn, Earn: Learn
how to make money online with help from the *real* pros" here:
http://www.momscape.com/makemoneyonline
because you *can* make a living online.
