Work-At-Home Mom

I am fortunate that my organization allows me to work from home two or more days each week. Before Eden came along I thought that this would be an easy thing to do, but it's turned out to be trickier than I expected. I take my job really seriously and I love what I do so I want to make sure that I maintain a high quality of work while still being the best mom I can be. To me this means getting back to people quickly, answering emails, and taking the necessary time to complete tasks. I remember scouring the internet for tips on creating this balance and having trouble. So on this, my one year anniversary of being a work-at-home mom several days each week, I've learned a few things I'd like to share.

Time Management
I've read other work at home mom blogs and t time management really is the core of working at home. Because I am not chained to my computer all day, I  have more flexibility which also helps. If I were a data entry clerk with a set amount of information I had to input into the computer each hour I would have crashed and burned long ago. Instead I have a lot of email to answer the occasional phone call, and tons of writing to do either in editing a website, or program and curriculum development or reporting. But it really does come down to time management. I do my best work from 6 am - 8 am because Scott is still at home, during the two hours or so each day that she naps, and then from 7 pm - 9 pm after she goes to bed. That gives me about 6 hours a day that I've managed to carve out around doing the usual mom things like playing, meals, story time at the library, baths, bedtime etc. On Mondays it's even easier since that's Scott's day off. And I have to say that this is much more uninterrupted, focused work time than I get in my noisy shared office. Studies show that people are more productive when they work from home, and this is definitely true of me.

Mobile Madness
I definitely "work from phone" plenty too. I have my settings such that whenever I receive an email, the phone will alert me. This comes in handy when Eden is in the tub and my boss wants an answer to her question. Being able to immediately get back to people even if I'm not right in front of my computer helps a lot.

Five Minutes of Peace
Sometimes you just have to make or take an important call and it just won't do to have demands for juice overheard on the other end. When Eden was an infant I bought myself time by putting her into her crib and turning on her honeybee mobile. She was mesmerized and I was able to have a quick chat with a colleague. Nowadays my solace comes from Pingu. Each episode is 7 minutes and will buy my the time I need to take care of business on the phone if necessary. I'm not TV mom, but it certainly comes in handy like nothing else.

Take It Outdoors
The best thing about our house is our yard. We have lots of great space for a toddler to explore and I've found that setting myself up on the deck so I can see the whole yard while Eden runs around works wonderfully. One of our favorite games is "In the Bucket" in which I encourage her to place the endless parade of rocks, clumps of dirt, leaves, and bugs she brings me into her yellow beach pail. She likes being praised for dropping things in and it's fun to look and see what was collected that day.

Have a Back Up Plan
Often enough I have to call on my sister, who watches Eden on the days I'm in the office to come by and play for a bit. This is usually for conference calls and the like. Amber is a total lifesaver in a situation like this and I can give whatever I'm working on my full attention for a longer period of time.

Put Your Kid to Work 
It happens sometimes that Eden, a child usually content to do her own thing, wants to crawl into my lap at the exact moment that I need to respond to a timely request or fix a problem on the website. When that happens I pick her up, snuggle her into my lap, and go to dual screen - work for me, and this addictive Twinkle Twinkle Little Star video for her. Works every time, for those quick gotta wear two hats moments. I work on my screen and she "works" on hers.

I do have a unique situation, but like all other WAHMs I have to find the right balance and do my best to maintain a high level in both my personal and professional life. I know I don't always do this perfectly, but so far it's working and I'm so grateful for my circumstances and the people in my life that make this possible. I know I'm always looking for info on this topic so I'll post from time to time when I learn or come across something valuable. Good luck!