Small factions of women are using the internet to literally “have it all.” These are women who discuss business plans while driving their children to dance class, cook dinner while typing e-mails to clients, and later clean their keyboard after typing up minutes from online conference calls. They are the “Work at Home Mom,” or “WAHM.”
Why are some women so determined to be “Super Moms” at home? Daycare costs are not only expensive, but there are many times when a mom ends up calling in sick to care for sick children, leaving her unable to advance her career in a company. Many women also cite wanting to “raise their own children” as a motivation. “I want to be a WAHM because it allows me flexibility to be there for my family when they need me, and without ignoring my own need to do something productive and contribute to my family income,” Amanda Quraishi of Qreativewriting.com explains.
One problem that arises for many WAHMs is how to devote enough time to their work, their home and their family (not to mention, their self). Amanda Quraishi explains her main dilemma working at home is “knowing when to draw the line and put down the laundry. There's no end to things you can do around the house, so you have to be disciplined enough to make work a priority.”
A WAHM has 3 priorities: her work, her home and her family. Balancing those aspects of life can be difficult, but not impossible. Simple time management guidelines can be easily applied to the WAHMs schedule, making her jobs just a little easier, manageable and maybe even fun.
In order to achieve a successful career, the WAHM has to have a plan. Unfortunately, her “business” plan also has to include meals, homework, bath time, vacuuming, play time, time with her “significant other” and maybe even a couple of minutes for herself. WAHMs should make a list of their daily responsibilities and prioritize them.
Sample Priority List
Work |
Household |
Meals |
Shopping |
Kids’ needs |
Significant Other |
Family |
Friends |
Charity/Volunteering |
Exercise |
Religion |
Education |
Holidays/Events |
Illnesses (short-term) |
Self-care appointments |
Another method for better budgeting time is to make an activity log for three to five days. The WAHM should write down everything she does in a day, from the time she wakes up until the time she finally sleeps. This will allow her to see where she is spending her time the most, and even increase her awareness of where she is falling short or excelling. The shortest activities all add up and even if she takes a a break from typing to switch a load of laundry around, she should write it down: it all adds up.
The final recommendation is for the WAHM to pull out a calendar. She should forecast all school commitments, meetings, medical/dental appointments, soccer gams, etc. She should then be able to ascertain how much time, based on her activity log and goals, she can reasonably spend working.. Then she can set up blocks of time on her schedule that are devoted solely to her priority list.
A WAHM should always remember to expect the unexpected. Kids get sick, the pipes under the sink can unexpectedly start to leak. She needs to have a back-up plan for important days or appointments. Many WAHMs use housekeepers, babysitters/nannies, mothers’ helpers, life coaches and virtual assistants for extrasupport on and off the clock.
Why hire a WAHM? By definition, moms are multi-tasking experts. Most know how to get a job done in the most efficient manner. They are women who want to have a larger role in their childrens’ lives, but still want to feel valued outside the home. They want, and are, the best of all worlds.
RESOURCES & PRINTABLES
Hippymom Forums http://forums.hippymom.com (community always willing to give advice, lend an ear and support all moms)
http://www.ladypens.com/myarticles/Aurelia-Williams/27/Time-Management/90
http://www.ladypens.com/Article/16-Simple-Tips-to-Simplify-Your-Life/3289
http://www.organizetips.com/feature.htm
http://www.getorganizednow.com/
Copyright 2007, Chelsea Eriksen, MojoWriting.com
