6 Productivity tips for moms while working from home
As a working mom, getting some focused time dedicated to work is a challenge. First of all, let’s get real. It’s not easy teaching your little ones at home, running a household, fitting in self-care while also having a social life. Being a working mom and managing work and personal life is hard.
Also, with so much pressure to be perfect all the time you need to understand that being a productive mom is not about outdoing your friends, colleagues or neighbours. It might look like they have their life in order but it’s not always the case.
So, the important question is that how can you do it all?
While motherhood is one of the most rewarding jobs, it is also the most exhausting. You have to finish work before a deadline while keeping the kids happy and behaved, and all of a sudden, the word “busy” has a whole new meaning. Instead of packing your schedule as full as you can and losing your mind over it, here are 6 most important productivity tips for working moms.
SAY YES TO SELF-CARE
Being at home all day, we tend to forget this one very important thing, which is self-care. Between scheduling time for work and kids, self-care gets completely lost in the process. It is important to schedule breaks like a weekly day off and time slots for certain self-care activities which you love. These short breaks rejuvenate and energize you to keep going.
YOUR SANITY IS PRIORITY
You can’t be an effective employee or parent if you’re constantly worried about the work from home setup and your little ones. Stop worrying about stuff like ‘My kid is watching too much cartoons or playing too much games’ while you work and then start feeling guilty about it. Always express your gratitude to the situation because so many parents do not have the luxury of working from home. Also, considering the situation it’s okay to give the kids some time off and enjoy tv or games if they want to, we should never compare their pre-lockdown routine to the current routine.
TAKE 5-10 MINUTES EVERYDAY TO PLAN YOUR DAY
This simple habit will immensely increase your productivity. By simply identifying your tasks for the day and writing it down, you are significantly increasing the likelihood that it will happen. You can either do this the night before, after the kids have gone to bed, or first thing in the morning.
What you don’t want to do is make a huge to-do list of all the things you should get done. This often sets an unrealistic standard and can end up feeling like a chain around your neck that produces more procrastination than productivity. Don’t try to achieve too much and feel disappointed when you don’t. Having 3-4 specific goals for a day, including a top goal or priority, is reasonable. It will help you prioritize important work, while also having time for your little one.
HAVE POSITIVE FEELINGS
Lack of positive feelings about a task can also contribute to procrastination. When you work at home you are surrounded by things that are personally meaningful to you, which makes you feel more distracted. In comparison, your work can seem less meaningful. This contrast may make it difficult at times to stay focused and productive, therefore have a designated work space which inspires you to finish your work on time.
MAKE TIME FOR FUN
Whatever you’re doing, make it fun. If it's not, figure out a different way to do it. Life is too short, and it's within your control to make it as fun as possible. This doesn't necessarily mean ignoring your job if you don't have fun all the time. It may mean incorporating things you love into your daily life, like eating your favourite lunch or watching your favourite series. Incorporating a few things that you love in your daily schedule will make you more grateful and excited about your everyday tasks.
FIND A WORK PARTNER
While working from home, you’re still accountable to your team. Where they expect you to meet your deadlines, have conference calls etc. If you have a meeting at 11AM you know that you’ll have to streamline the work accordingly, where you can feed, plan tasks and get your kids ready before 11 AM, so that you can completely focus on your meeting.
If you’re a freelancer or run a mom blog, you might need to create your own structure. Make plans to connect with other work from home parents or mom bloggers, have a zoom call, discuss work challenges and share productivity tips with each other.
Hope these tips will help you find your perfect balance between work and personal life. If you find these helpful in any way don’t forget to leave a comment or share your experience with us on Instagram @talesandstories_official