Being a work-from-home parent is no easy feat. This series is specifically for those out there who are balancing the two titles: parent and boss.
If you missed Part One, click here.
The next advice I have for fellow work-from-home parents is…
2. Be Realistic
Something has to give. No one can do everything on their own.
If I tried to work, homeschool, watch the kids, keep the house clean, do the shopping, make dinner, do the laundry, be the chauffeur, schedule appointments, etc. etc. all on my own I would fail miserably at every single task.
Know the things that only you can do, and outsource the rest.
Maybe outsourcing for you means hiring a housekeeper to come once or twice a month. Maybe outsourcing means having a meal delivery service. Maybe you need to bring a virtual assistant into your business. Or, if you’re a photographer you can consider hiring a professional editor to edit your clients’ images for you.
My favorite things to outsource are grocery shopping (thank you, Fry’s ClickList!), meal delivery, and babysitting.
I’m so fortunate to have family who is willing and able to watch my kids so I can work. I also have access to an awesome, referral-only babysitting app in my area which I use to book incredible, qualified babysitters as needed.
If you don’t have family nearby, here are some other ideas for finding babysitters:
1. Find a “Mother’s Helper,” a jr. high or high school age student who can play with your kids while you’re home working. Ask around in your circles to see if someone can send you a referral, or call a local church!
2. Trade with another work-at-home parent. You watch her kids so she can work, then she watches your kids while you work. It’s a win-win for both of you and the kids all get to play together!
3. Join a gym or co-working space that provides on-site childcare! Ask around for places like this in your area, where you can grab a coffee, bring your laptop, and get work done while your kiddos play for a couple hours.
Track Your Time
When it comes to being realistic about your business, you need to know how much time each task within your business usually takes. This will help you map out daily to-do’s when you do have your set work time.
How long does it take you to edit and deliver a mini session gallery? How long does it take you to respond to your emails? How long does it usually take for you to draft and proofread a blog? How long does it take you to schedule your social media posts for the week?
These are often tasks that become time-consuming quick! Track your time using a free app like Toggl so you can best prep your work time with realistic timeframes.
The last thing you want is to provide yourself with 30 minutes to write a blog when it usually takes an hour. When you underestimate how long a task will take, you’ll start feeling overwhelmed and like you’re never accomplishing things on your to-do list.
So, if a blog usually takes you an hour, set a timer for an hour and work, work, work with no distractions during that timeframe. This will help you stay within the realistic timeframe you’ve given yourself and allow you to maintain focus for the hour!
That’s all for tip number two. Check back next week for tip number three!
Apps to Consider for Streamlining Your Life and Business
Home Chef* – meal kit delivery (save $35 on your first order!)
Todoist – virtual to-do list with recurring tasks
Planoly* – Instagram planning
Slack – team communication
Trello – My husband and I actually use this to make our grocery lists!
*Please note some links are affiliate links, but I never share apps that I don’t love and personally use myself!
