8 top tips on how to work from home around your kids and still keep your sanity, and your business i
Working from home is most peoples dream. Doing it with kids running round the house can turn into a nightmare! Here are 8 top tips to surviving the process from someone who has just spent the last year perfecting the process since the arrival of my daughter€¦
1) First get yourself a time table. Otherwise the work bit of working from home will just never get included in your daily activities. You need to plan your key activities in your home business and note the time when you will do them. You wont have time for anything that isn't a key, income producing task so don't even worry about putting those things on the timetable.
2) Be flexible with your timetable. As children grow so does everything about their feed and sleep routines. The most I've got out of my timetable so far is about 3 weeks before having to change it again. Flexibility is the MOST important word when running a home business around children.
3) Learn to split your time between family and your home business and don't feel guilty about spending time on either. That way you will be most effective with both. Focussing on your actual work when you are working from home will not be something that comes naturally.
4) Network your house. I have a laptop in the sitting room as well as my home office study space. In fact I am typing this as my daughter sits behind me playing happily with her train set. Working from home doesn't have to be from one room and then you can do the internet based bits of your business when they are awake.
5) Keep small minds active and if you have one, visit your local toy library and hire toys. This way you don't end up with a garage of toys not being used and you can still have new things for your child to explore. This can extend the time your can work your business especially if you have an internet based business.
6) Let everyone know your schedule. Get buy in from partners who can take over when you need focussed time to work. Let your children know too if they are old enough to understand.
7) Plan entertainment. Use the time you have with your children well and make it productive and fun for them. That was they are more likely to €play nicely' when you are needing to focus on your home business. Make sure you've got physical exercise and outside time as top priority. Your work from home will normally be inside, so use the other time to get outside and do something different.
8) Be prepared for the time when the phone rings, and you need to take the call. Either teach your kid or childproof your home. Have safe zones where you can pop them and know it doesn't matter if they go out of sight. Plan so they cant do any damage.
Above all, believe and know it can and is done by many, many people. Juggling your home business and your children is not necessarily easy. But nothing else gives you the reward of being able to work from home, earn money and bring up your children at the same time.
1) First get yourself a time table. Otherwise the work bit of working from home will just never get included in your daily activities. You need to plan your key activities in your home business and note the time when you will do them. You wont have time for anything that isn't a key, income producing task so don't even worry about putting those things on the timetable.
2) Be flexible with your timetable. As children grow so does everything about their feed and sleep routines. The most I've got out of my timetable so far is about 3 weeks before having to change it again. Flexibility is the MOST important word when running a home business around children.
3) Learn to split your time between family and your home business and don't feel guilty about spending time on either. That way you will be most effective with both. Focussing on your actual work when you are working from home will not be something that comes naturally.
4) Network your house. I have a laptop in the sitting room as well as my home office study space. In fact I am typing this as my daughter sits behind me playing happily with her train set. Working from home doesn't have to be from one room and then you can do the internet based bits of your business when they are awake.
5) Keep small minds active and if you have one, visit your local toy library and hire toys. This way you don't end up with a garage of toys not being used and you can still have new things for your child to explore. This can extend the time your can work your business especially if you have an internet based business.
6) Let everyone know your schedule. Get buy in from partners who can take over when you need focussed time to work. Let your children know too if they are old enough to understand.
7) Plan entertainment. Use the time you have with your children well and make it productive and fun for them. That was they are more likely to €play nicely' when you are needing to focus on your home business. Make sure you've got physical exercise and outside time as top priority. Your work from home will normally be inside, so use the other time to get outside and do something different.
8) Be prepared for the time when the phone rings, and you need to take the call. Either teach your kid or childproof your home. Have safe zones where you can pop them and know it doesn't matter if they go out of sight. Plan so they cant do any damage.
Above all, believe and know it can and is done by many, many people. Juggling your home business and your children is not necessarily easy. But nothing else gives you the reward of being able to work from home, earn money and bring up your children at the same time.