As a homeschooling mother, I’ve always wished to help supplement our income and in order to do so I need to work from home. Could I get a job? Of course, but that would not allow me to stay at home with my kids and be the one to homeschool them.
I’ve been blessed to have found something that I love and that I can do from home, but it also brings on more responsibilities to our otherwise hectic days.
What are some things that I can do to ensure that I don’t go crazy?
I am a list maker. I have discovered that there are always a million things that I could be working on for my business. You may discover the same thing. Whether your blog is your business, or you are working as a virtual assistant, consultant, or sales, there is always something that you can do to make it better.
You might also learn that there are a million things that your kids need, your hubby needs, your home needs. It’s never ending. What can you do as you to start tackling that to do list?
Planning ahead is a must.
This includes meal planning and homeschool planning. I use to fly by the seat of my pants the first year I homeschooled my oldest. That just won’t cut it with 3 children now. Children get cranky when they are hungry so I need to have a plan in place because if 4pm rolls around and I’m scrambling to find something to make for dinner then mom is not going to be happy either. Planning ahead eliminates stress and will give you peace of mind when you aren’t trying to figure things out at the last moment each and every day.
Prioritize your list.
What really needs to get done today? Those swimming lessons or responding to emails? Set your schedule so that you have the time to do everything related to your business and everything related to your kids and home. That’s easier said then done. If you work more productively in the morning then maybe you need to give some independent work to your children as you tackle your most pressing tasks first.
What purpose does this serve?
Do I really need to be on Facebook right now as my child is tugging on my shirt? Probably not. You will need to ensure that what you do in regards to your work has purpose because it is time away from your family.
You need patience.
You are not going to find that perfect schedule that allows you to do everything on your to-do list. Children get sick, things come up and you have to make changes. Be patient, find what works for you and your family so that you are not just trying to keep up, but so that you are thriving. Or else your work will become a resentment and you will begin to hate it.
Homeschooling our children is the best decision we’ve made because we get to spend the whole day together learning about awesome things. Supplementing our income is also something that needs to be done as well. You cannot be an awesome mom while you sit at the computer all day.
They will only be this age once.
You can find Monique blogging over at Living Life and Learning about homeschooling and everything in between. She is a work at home mom to 3 and she loves good books, chocolate and pretty blog designs. She still struggles to find balance but she’s enjoying her time home with her children.