Juggling Business And Family Life - Mum Working From Home Gives Her 5 Top Tips To Cope With Both

Written by Lindsey Rowe Monday, 18 July 2011 05:53

Like millions of other people, I was always dependent on somebody else for my paycheck, working a 9 - 5 job day in - day out, until last year when I became a mum working from home.

Like millions of other people, I was always dependent on somebody else for my paycheck, working a 9 - 5 job day in - day out, until last year when I became a mum working from home.

I've always needed to work in order to help support my family which includes my elderly mum whose health is poor and her needs are high. We also have our family pet dog and he's always on the lookout for an energetic walk.

Cramming everything in was overwhelming at times. Trying to fulfill my responsibilities to my boss without letting my family down was tough. I didn't always pull it off, and no matter how hard I tried, my family came second. They needed me most when I couldn't be there. Does this sound familiar?

I never came to terms with not being able to take my daughter to school. I missed out on those years. But now that I'm a mum working from home, all that's changed, I've got my quality of life back and I can be there for them at last and we all love it.

Since I found the best new online business I'm running from home, if my daughter needs collecting from school, I don't have those panicky feelings of how I'm going to get the time off work, I can decide for myself.

So if you're facing challenges like these, take heart as I have a few ideas that might make a difference.

Prioritise: Learn to prioritise to make sure all the important things get done. One of the easiest ways to do this is to make a list. Have lists for daily tasks, shopping, events etc. They really do make a difference and keep you on track. If you write a list, chances are you won't wake up in the night in a panic.

Motivation: If you don't have any motivation, very little is going to get done. A positive mindset is what you need so make sure you know what your goals are and how to achieve them and when you do, celebrate the smallest of achievements and this will help to keep you motivated.

Sleep: Providing you get plenty of sleep, you should reap the benefits and be most productive. You should cope much better also. To get a better night, swap the alcohol and coffee for something more relaxing. A bath and a good book usually work wonders too.

Exercise: The best way to start your day is with some exercise. I recommend a brisk walk or jog for thirty minutes and get your heart rate going. You'll be surprised at how much more productive your day will be. The first ten days doing this will be hard but once you get into the habit, it will become easy and you'll do it automatically.

Prepare: Always plan in advance and prepare yourself for the day ahead. If you fail to do this, you'll end up creating more work and you'll be far less productive. Have you ever noticed that some days you seem to get nothing done? That's usually due to lack of preparation.