Family
The balancing act - every mother’s nightmare. Many days we feel like circus jugglers with more plates in the air than we can possibly handle. Over the years, however, I’ve learned a few secrets that help me keep things in perspective:
Keep God First
In Matthew 6:33 we’re told to seek God’s kingdom above all else. Like the apostle Peter who saw Jesus walking on water and asked to join him - as soon as we take our eyes off of Christ and begin to doubt, we sink.
In order to keep our eyes on Him, we need to be in relationship with Him. Schedule time in your day to read God’s Word and to talk with Him in prayer. Surround yourself with friends who love the Lord and who will point you back to Him when you struggle.
Don’t Be Afraid To Choose Family Over Business
As business owners, we do our best to maintain professionalism even when we’re working at our kitchen table with kids hanging on to our ankles. We have deadlines, client demands to meet and emails and phone calls to return. However, there comes a time in every work-at-home moms life when family simply must come first.
It may be that your child is struggling or it could be an extended family member in crisis. The point is, it’s ok to step away from your business when absolutely necessary. Be respectful - let your clients know that you will be gone and when you plan to return. But don’t be afraid to set business aside for a time to be there for people who need you.
Plan Ahead
This is by far my biggest struggle. I’m a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants kind of girl. I love working from home because every day is different and, for the most part, I’m in control of what I do and when. However, as a work-at-home mom so many distractions - emails to read, laundry to do and kids needing attention. So, I’ve had to learn to plan ahead.
What works for me is to plot everything out weekly, giving each day a title for both home and business. So, Mondays are usually laundry days on the home front and “clean out inbox†days for business. Tuesdays tend to be more relaxed with maybe a trip to the park or the swimming pool with some writing to be done in the early morning. Find what works for you and make the best possible use of your time.
It may seem backwards, but with some extra effort you can turn your work-at-home workplace into a relaxing, enjoyable atmosphere. Make it a point to spend the quality with your family that you so often wish for (yep, I do that, too).
Jill Hart's entrepreneurial career began in her teens when she spent a summer working with her father who ran his own business. When he put her in charge of a Coke machine and allowed her to keep the profits, she saw the benefits of being her own boss. She is the founder of the popular Christian work-at-home website, CWAHM.com. Jill has articles published in In Touch Magazine, P31 Woman magazine and Focus on the Family’s Thriving Family, as well as across the web on sites like DrLaura.com. She is the author of So You Want To Be a Work-at-Home Mom and speaks to audiences around the country about faith, business and leadership topics. Learn more about Jill at JillHart.com and connect with her on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/SpeakerJillHart) and Twitter @cwahm.
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