We all know that mom at the school entrance that looks so put-together, drives the nicest car, turns up in the most fashionable clothes without a hair out of place, and you’re left wondering “how on earth does she know how to balance motherhood and work from home?!”
If we are being real here and not thinking she has a secret nanny, or a partner that does absolutely everything for her…..You are probably looking at a woman who is incredibly organized, has systems in place to get everything done on time, and loves a good list! Because you know that if you don’t write it down, it doesn’t happen, right? It’s like the art of manifestation – if you think it and breathe it everyday with pinpoint consistency, before you know it you will be living that way! It’s the same with systems, the more you do them, the easier they become second nature to you!
Figuring out how to juggle motherhood and work from home can be the ‘make or break’ of your home, or indeed your work! If you have the balance and micro-systems in place, then it is completely achievable. You can even be really successful with it too!
Here are the best tips to make motherhood and working from home a balance that REALLY works for YOU!
TIP 1- PLANNING!
The biggest key to a harmonious home is planning! But the bigger key is writing those plans down, so everyone else knows how things need to be achieved so good habits can be made as a family!
It’s no secret that working from home is the safest thing to be doing right now! The pandemic has made home THE place to be, and figuring out how to make working from home and motherhood work in harmony can be a tough ask! So writing things down like: lists, meal planning, voice notes of things to do, and having a visible calendar or timetable is going to make your home/work life so easy to achieve! Yes, it may take a little thinking initially to get your templates set in stone. Once they are set, it is easy to stay organized!
TIP 2- GROCERY SHOPPING AND MEAL PLANNING!
Meal planning and cooking is one of the broader tasks that takes so much time away from moms in general. When there is no planning it can feel like Groundhog Day, although it seems like a given, planning is the key to get you some time back. When you are working from home, you can’t afford to keep popping to the store for groceries! Dedicate ONE day a week to do this only once. Also, make sure you write a shopping list in advance and stick to it!
TIP 3- ORGANIZING MEAL TIMES!
When it’s time to put the groceries away, you can add another system in place by stacking your fridge and cupboards by day! Everything for Monday goes at the top of the fridge, including packed lunch things (which you create them in advance) along with ingredients for lunch, dinner, and snacks. Make sure to put instructions on the fridge along with a meal planner to teach your little ones that today is “Top-Day!”. Getting your children involved in routine around meal planning is such an important task for their learning. Make it easier for them by including all of their favorite things! Make a big deal out of creating a fun weekend breakfast with them! Pop all of their ideas on a magnetic whiteboard and on the front of the fridge. This teaches routine for them but makes it easy for you too!
TIP 4- ALWAYS REMEMBER YOUR WHY!
Why? When you feel overwhelmed and start to feel like things are out of control, remember why you do everything. Whether that comes from a 10 minute zoom call to secure a contract or a 30 minute planning session, remember that you do it from home so you can be there when they need you. When you feel out of control, try this technique to ground yourself back to the reasons you do everything:
Short spurts of meditation can also revive you when you feel overwhelmed. Sit in a quiet space for 5-15 minutes, set a timer if you need to, and breathe in fresh air. Try to get some much needed vitamin D and bask in the sun when you can. Let the stress melt away as you focus on breathing and counting backwards. When the timer goes off, you will feel freer of conflict in your mind and ready to start again. Such a calming thing to do!
TIP 5- CREATE A “MOM SPACE SYSTEM”
To make it really easy for everyone to understand boundaries, you can create a “mom space.” When you are in that space teach everyone in the house to understand that you are working. If it’s a whole room, a color coded sign on the door would work well. When indicating that you are BUSY use the color RED, busy but can be briefly disrupted use KNOCK & ASK with the color(AMBER, and finally, when you are free for a cuddle or two to show you are FREE use the color GREEN. This teaches boundaries, colors, and how to follow instructions. This system is not only educational, but also a system that actually works for you!
The trick to juggling motherhood and working from homeis good organization and communication, especially when it is overwhelming. Practice these systems and before you know it, they will become household, harmonious habits! Preparation is key, and if that means getting up an hour before everyone else in the house to make sure you can fit your home life, child life and work life all in one day, then that’s what you gotta do busy momma! Less Stress, More Systems, Happy Balance!