Mecanicien

Posts Tagged ‘legitimate work at home jobs’

Squeezing The Most Out Of Each Day - 5 Tips To Gaining Time (and reducing stress)

Any work-at-home parent will tell you, contrary to popular belief, we don’t have time to go potty, much less get bored-we simply don’t have enough time to do it all . I can’t tell you how many times I looked down at that tiny clock in the corner of the computer screen and saw 4:53 staring back at me. Where did the day go? Did I get anything useful done today?

No different than a new parent growing a third arm to change that wiggling baby, necessity is the mother of creativity. And in my house, creativity is Queen. (except when Drama Queen needs attention, of course.) So here are my favorite tricks to keeping it all together and somehow getting (at least most of) it, done.

1. Plan tomorrow’s To Do List today. Before quitting work for the day I write down everything I would ideally like to accomplish tomorrow. This includes planning the meals. Meals seem to always stress me out - what the heck can I cook quickly that might resemble healthy food? Just taking 15 minutes to plan, set out the meat, or soak the beans saves serious time and stress the next day. (this keeps my mind clear too, so I can focus on family time.)

2. One hour of Quiet Time early in the morning - I can get more accomplished in this hour than I normally can all day. Getting up before the kids (and spouse) is precious. It takes time but you DO get used to - and addicted -to it.

3. Keep Phone Calls Minimal– And Short . Friends have a tendency to think we have plenty of spare “chat” time, so avoid all unnecessary phone calls during your peak work times. Talk to friends while cooking dinner, going to the restroom, or on the way to pickup the kids. Don’t even pickup calls from telemarketers, bill collectors, or anyone you don’t know.

4. Use the Force, Luke - your computer! Email is so much quicker to get a complete message to someone without all the chit-chat. You can send a cordial email and get your message (and answer) much quicker. Use your computer to pay bills and any other tasks you can automate. (birthday greetings, homework help, alarms, calendars, reminders) I have all my bills set up on auto-pay, and let me tell you, bills get paid while I am asleep and it reduces my stress A LOT.

5. Take breaks. You can become a bundle of stress if you don’t stop to eat, take a swim, or even a nap when you’re sick. (Yes moms are allowed to be sick.) Convince the kids to nap with you if need be. I find if I am so tired I can’t function, a short nap will recharge my batteries and let me make it through the rest of the night.

There will always be a struggle for work-at-home-moms to achieve balance. We all find things that work for us and the trick is to use the tools we do find. It doesn’t do my family any good if I am such a grouch from working, that I cannot enjoy the greatest job in the world - being a mom and wife!