When my husband and I found out we were expecting our first baby, we had mixed emotions. We were thrilled, but we were also scared to death! We both worked in the restaurant industry, with us working more nights than days. If you have every worked in the industry, you know if you are going to make money, you need those night shifts! We made a tough decision when Caitlin was born, and that was for me to stay home with her. The problem we had was adjusting to living on just one income. I did a few things to make money like selling her clothing, toys and accessories on eBay. It brought in some cash, but certainly not enough to fill the financial gap we were feeling. For many years, I worked part time jobs cleaning and doing light office work for our church and babysitting. I finally found my niche; writing and online administrative work. I have been able to make enough money to supplement y husband’s income, but it is not been easy adjusting to working from home. Trust me when I tell you…it is not all sunshine and rainbows. I do NOT sit at home eating bon bons and watching soaps. I am juggling homeschooling my son, taking care of our home and working…all at the same time. I feel more like the plate sinner at the circus than I do a legit work at home mom. Over the past few years, I have found some great tips that have helped me stay on task.

Time Management Tips For Work At Home Moms That Actually Work!

1. Set A Schedule: Ok, now let’s be real…we all say we have a schedule but we don’t actually stick to it. You need to make a schedule and commit to it. If you don’t, your day will run you instead of the other way around. And believe me, my son would much rather play video games all day than to read 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea!
2. Make a To Do List: I am a huge list maker, so each morning, I will sit down with my cup of coffee and make my list for the NEXT day. This helps me stay a step ahead of any appointments, school activities or business events I have coming up. Otherwise, that forgotten doctor’s appointment will bite you in the butt! I keep my list on my phone so I can edit it as I go. In order to have style and functionality for my phone, I have my cute Damask Ribbon with a Red Bow phone case from Zazzle, which sells for $42.95. It is super well made, looks great and keeps my phone protected.
3. Start Your Day Right: The mornings are my busiest part of the day. Caitlin is never up on time, always loses her shoes or needs a note signed as we run out the door. By the time I get home from dropping her at school, I am already frazzled. To get myself in the right frame of mind, I have one cup of coffee out on the deck (weather permitting.) I take just 15 minutes to sip my cuppa from my favorite Doctor Who themed mug from Zazzle, which sells for just $16.95. while I go over my “to do list” for the day. I also go over my list of what I am grateful for and pray. This gets my day off to a great start.
4. Tackle The Big Stuff First: I find myself pushing back the big tasks I have later and later in the day. Not only does this make me dread the end of the day, but is screws u my whole schedule. Instead, I knock them out first thing in the morning. That way, it is behind me and I can see the light at the end of my tunnel!
5. Get Real: Don’t try and fool yourself into thinking there are more than 24 hours in a day! You can only get so much work done, so don’t over schedule yourself. All you will do is get frustrated and beat yourself up and no one needs that negativity in their life, right?!
6. Make Time For Yourself: If I don’t set aside some time just for myself, I will deteriorate quickly. One of my favorite things to do is read suspense novels, but I never have time. When I take my lunch (which I schedule), I will read a chapter. This lets me recharge my batteries and helps me focus on the rest of the day. I also take an afternoon break to move my body. This helps stretch my back and gets my blood flowing and gets my mind right for the rest of the day.
7. Know When To Walk Away: When your work day comes to an end, be done for the day. If you work from home, it is far too easy to keep on going. The problem with that is it usually eats into your family time. That is a no-no in my house. I do not work past 6 p.m. and I don’t work on the weekends.

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Do you have any time management tips for work at home moms?