Balancing High Productivity and Parenting While Working from Home

Working from home isn’t always easy, but it offers great freedom and flexibility for earning money. For moms, balancing childcare and generating income for the family is crucial.

Starting out as a stay-at-home mom transitioning to working from home was challenging. The initial struggle to balance family and work was overwhelming. I eventually realized that success required a plan and organization, as the essence of working from home is managing both family and work without excessive stress.

I’ve found some strategies that work well for me, and I hope these tips will help other moms who want to leave the corporate world and work from home, those already working from home, and especially those running their businesses from home.

One major challenge of working from home is dealing with distractions and interruptions. Although it’s impossible to eliminate them entirely, creating a schedule can help make the most of your work time. Dedicated work hours allow you to focus completely on your tasks, which is crucial for business and career women. You need to prioritize important activities like contacting clients or reviewing work quality.

Attempting to work while juggling household chores and childcare isn’t effective. Your work quality will suffer, and tasks will take longer as you’ll frequently need to remind yourself where you left off.

Working on critical tasks while your kids are asleep, whether at night or early in the morning, has proven to be the key to productivity for me. It might be challenging to fit all your work into these times, but it yields the best results. If you have young kids, waking up early or staying up late might be the only way to get a lot done.

Today, various apps and software can boost productivity even on the go. Apps like Evernote, Trello, and Wunderlist help you manage to-do lists, while tools like TeamViewer, Google Hangouts, and GoToMeeting are essential for remote team communication. Screen capturing software with voice capabilities can also assist in creating instructions for your team, reducing repetitive explanations.

Working with kids around means there’s no clear distinction between work and playtime. However, this doesn’t mean your work has to suffer. Engaging younger kids in educational games like brain teasers and puzzles can keep them entertained while you work. Set up a safe play area near your home office where they can play with watercolors or coloring pens, giving you more uninterrupted work time.

If you’re a full-time mom without help, it’s unrealistic to plan on working all day. Instead, work in small chunks. In my eight years of working from home, I’ve never had a day without interruptions. Working in brief spurts with breaks in between has been effective for me, allowing time for both work and kids.

Taking breaks throughout your workday is essential. Working from home often means you feel like you’re always working, which can be stressful. Brief breaks to recharge or spend time with your kids—whether a walk in the park, backyard playtime, or a power nap—can help you get back to work refreshed.

As a work-at-home mom, planning your day ahead is crucial. A practical workday plan ensures you stay focused on both work and your children. Planning helps manage day-to-day tasks and attend to kids’ needs, from finding missing toys to feeding them and helping with schoolwork.