Written by
May 22, 2017 0 Comments

4 Ways to Prepare for Summer Break

As the school year winds down, we’re all starting to prepare for one of the best times of the year – summer break!

While this is a great opportunity to spend more time with family, it also takes a bit more juggling.  As work from home moms, we have the flexibility to adjust our schedules and truly make the most of this time of year.

Childcare

Since the kids are home now, it’s important that you have readily available childcare.  Look into options now – whether it’s family, friends, or outside help.  Make sure you discuss scheduling and see where you might need some time for yourself.  Depending on the ages and schedules of your kids, you might need more or less help, but it’s always a positive to have people you can call on.

It can also be helpful to look into activities and set up carpool to help during these times as well.  Look into fun things for your kids and see if some of the other parents can alternate driving obligations.  This gives you more time to get things done and manage your workload!

If you need to take a conference call during the day, or you need a few days to get a big project done, you’ll be glad you’ve pre-established some options for your kids.

Review your workload

Some businesses are less busy in the summer, and you may be prioritizing differently and rearranging your workload.

This is a great time of year to review everything on your plate for the next few months.  Does it look the same as always, or are there gaps?  Do you want to fill this time or allow for more space with family?  Sometimes taking on more hours is a good thing if work is sparse, and this is common in the summer months.

This analytical process will help you to better manage your work schedule in the summer, as well as the schedule of your family.

Summer schedule

Once you’ve taken a look at your summer work obligations, delegate some time off in the afternoons for your kids.  This doesn’t necessarily have to be the afternoon, but any time that works best in your schedules.

It’s a unique time of year when your school-aged kids are home, so it’s nice to take advantage of this when you get the chance.  It’s also a great time to rearrange your schedule a bit, so that you have that free time each day, or a few days per week.

Plan some fun

Summer is full of fun! Spend an afternoon by the pool, go for hikes, and generally enjoy the summer months.  It’s also perfect to plan a vacation or staycation, and enjoy more time with friends and family.

You don’t have to leave your area to have fun either! Schedule work meetings outdoors, or in coffee shops with outdoor seating to enjoy the weather.

Summer is a fleeting time of year and one that brings a lot more fun – and juggling.  Review your schedule, make time for family where you have it, and enjoy their time off!

Continue Reading

Written by
August 15, 2016 0 Comments

4 Tips for Back to School Success

You can feel it in the air – it’s almost time for back to school season! The commercials are in full force and everyone is planning their last minute summer getaways before the rush of school begins.

While this time of year is bittersweet, it can come with scheduling challenges and resistance to routine.  Follow along for some helpful tips to get back into the swing of things in a peaceful, organized way!

Reestablish routine

This is the #1 tip for back to school success! Reestablishing a routine is not always fun for the household, but it will pay off majorly very soon.

Starting now, begin going to bed earlier – a little bit each day.  From here, arrange for your kids to have quiet time for an hour or so in the afternoons.  This process gets them prepared for homework after school, and into the mode of work before play.  If your kids prefer doing homework at night, put the quiet time towards the later part of the day.

Another part of establishing routine is making sure everyone is checking family boards or calendars before they leave the house; this helps to avoid items being forgotten once school starts.

Just because it’s back to school time doesn’t mean all the fun has to end! It just means that those little parts of your routine that involve waking up earlier and spending time doing work independently can start being integrated right now.  Everyone will appreciate this process when the first morning goes smoothly!

Work ahead

Once school starts, mornings can be a little more grueling.  Kids aren’t the only ones who will feel the change – you will as well!

Additionally, as a mom, you might be responsible for pick up or midday happenings with the kids, which might be a huge change from your summer work schedule.  Starting now, begin working ahead in some of your home based work.  Luckily, this is doable in a work from home position, affording you some more time to get back into the groove along with your kids and family.

Get organized

We all know that there are often lists and numerous items that your kids will need for the school year.  By becoming organized with these lists now, you can avoid unnecessary purchases and ensure that everything needed will be in hand on the first day.  If you haven’t received a predetermined list from the school, start by organizing your list(s) by class, grade, and/or child’s needs.  You can refer to the previous year’s lists in the future as well, which saves time and effort.

This is also a wonderful time to organize your home! Starting the year with a calm, organized house leaves everyone feeling more calm and peaceful.  Show your kids where their items are to go – backpacks, shoes, school papers, calendars and so on – so they know what to do when school begins.  You can even have them start utilizing some of these things now in preparation for the year ahead.

Start your schedule

Much like reestablishing routine, actually begin and enforce a schedule right now! Morning routines can reestablished by waking up at a reasonable time, having a healthy breakfast, and potentially planning a few structured activities for the day to get everyone on a schedule.

When your kids go back to school, it’s important that they’re somewhat prepared mentally and physically for the transition.  Summer can often mean late nights, late mornings and lax schedules – and that’s what makes it so much fun! However, now is the time to get back into another routine that is more structured and also fun.  Kids and adults alike tend to thrive on routine, so establishing these schedules now will make those first few weeks as seamless as possible!

Continue Reading

Written by
June 27, 2016 0 Comments

3 Ways to Relax This Summer

Work doesn’t stop in the summer, even if you work from home! The kids are home for a few months and schedules are just a little bit different from the other 9 months of the year.

Although you’re home as a work from home employee, steps still need to be taken to ensure that vacation is effective and productive for you and your kids – and even relaxing!

Plan the fun

Work doesn’t’ stop, but everyone admits that there’s a different feeling in the summer. Teachers and kids are off, companies tend to slow down, many more people are traveling, and so on.

Do your best to plan your fun and include more of it while the weather is nice and the kids are out of school! There are plenty of options, from water parks to theme parks to day trips to local cities and towns of interest.  Plan a staycation or two during the summer months – it’s something to look forward to, all while enjoying the benefits that summer has to offer.  Since everyone’s schedule tends to be a bit slower this time of year, it’s a great time to get away with minimal disruption.

In addition to scheduling family activities, make it a point to schedule a few things just for you – a manicure, a different hike with friends, or maybe a trip to a more distant shopping center or day destination.  It’s the time to enjoy the outdoors and some time off!  You can lean on family and friends to work through carpool and babysitting plans.

Shut it down

As we emphasize again and again, you have to shut down at the end of the day! Summer afternoons or nights are perfect for an afternoon by the pool, or for a trip to the movies or ice cream.  Whatever you like to do with your family or friends, make sure you’re shutting down in the summer.

As we’ve said, it’s a less busy time of year, so overtime should be less during these months.  Truly take these next few months to really shut down on time or enjoy a few hours during the day, as you’ll be much more refreshed and ready for work (and busy schedules!) to pick back up in the fall.

Set summer hours

Decide on the times when things are least likely to be going on with your family and work then.  Depending on your family, these times can range from early afternoon to later evenings in the park.  which might include some later hours, or earlier if you and your family enjoy evening activities.

Your summer hours might vary from your hours the rest of the year, which in general is just fine.  Most work from home jobs are fairly flexible, in that you can work whenever as long as the work is completed.  Even if this isn’t the case for you, setting your office hours can help you set expectations for yourself, your employer, and your family plans.  

Summer is a special time that’s very fleeting and won’t be back for quite a while.  It’s important to take advantage of trips, fun outings, and unique scheduling while you can. Take those special moments for yourself and your family to truly come back more relaxed and refreshed!

Continue Reading

Written by
May 16, 2016 0 Comments

4 Tips to Prepare for Summer Break

Summer is almost here! In most parts of the country, there are only a few more weeks until kids are out of school, days slow down, and we start planning fun trips and activities for the summer months.

While all this fun goes on, there’s still work to be done.  If you’re a work from home mom, it’s crucial to plan ahead for summer break, so you’re able to enjoy the more relaxed season while still being effective in your job.

Add activity

Since summer is typically a bit less structured in most industries, do you best to add some fun and activity into every day.  These days – and the summer season – don’t last forever, so it’s important to take advantage of them.  A lot more people are taking vacations, half days, Fridays off, and so on, so take that time to make it work for you and your family – and have some fun!

Set it up

Since you’ll likely still have a full work schedule, it might be helpful to enlist childcare and babysitting services ahead of time.  Many of these professionals book up well in advance, so act now to avoid the rush.  While it’s important to make time for your family and kids, it can still be incredibly helpful to have some undivided time for work and personal time.

Another option is to start speaking with your child’s family and friends to set up carpool situations for team sports, activities, and so on.  Have these conversations early, as everyone’s vacation and work schedules tend to change in the summer, so maybe you can all help each other have more family time, as well as more focused work hours.  Look into having these conversations and booking your childcare as soon as possible, so you can ensure that your children are enjoying their time and that you are still maximizing productivity!

Create a summer schedule

As we’ve mentioned, summer tends to be more relaxed – and a lot more fun! The spontaneity of it all is what makes it a magical time of year, but schedules are still important in a family.

Keep a large family calendar on the refrigerator that everyone can add to, and take a look at your weeks and months ahead of time.  Of course things will pop up, but if you can see where your family is and how you’re spending your time, you can more easily take time off to be with them.  Also, it’s helpful to keep some structure in your kids’ days, even if it’s as simple as scheduling a play date once per week.

Make it fun

Since we know that several jobs are more laid back in the summer, simply remember to have fun this summer.  It’s a short but special time of year when almost everyone is home and fun plans pop up all the time.  It’s best to keep a bit of structure but also be prepared to go with the flow.  Set up your plans in the beginning and you’ll gain more time with your kids while keeping your obligations top of mind.

Continue Reading

Written by
June 25, 2015 0 Comments

Top Tips for Juggling Working from Home and Kids in the Summer

School is officially out in most parts of the country, and that means that your kids will now be home for the summer! It’s a great, fun time of year for moms, but it can also be complicated if you work from home.

Since your work life is very closely connected to your home life – quite literally! – it helps to have  a plan in place to keep kids busy and juggle the demands of kids and work.

Plan ahead

You can prevent a lot of chaos and stressful days by doing some simple planning head! Begin your search earlier in the year, and now if you haven’t started yet.

Are your kids interested in summer camps? Some type of swim or tennis lessons?  Get together with them and schedule a time to discuss what they’d like to do this summer.  Although summer is a more spontaneous time of year, it doesn’t mean you can’t plan and make everyone’s time more efficient and productive.

Look into your local colleges or schools for free or inexpensive classes and discovery sessions of various activities.  There are also inexpensive sports leagues that only take place in the summer and often run for most of the day.  If your kids are older, talk with them about potentially getting a summer job or scheduling some activities they may enjoy.

Work ahead

Just as you can plan your kids’ activities ahead of time, you can do your best to get some work done ahead of time.  Determine the time(s) of the week that you’ll be spending time with your kids over the summer break and work around that.  If you know Monday mornings are your time to hit the pool or an activity together, put in a little bit of extra time on Friday to make your morning less stressful.

Another helpful tactic is to add 15-20 minutes per day so that you don’t have to spend hours at the end of the week working ahead.  If you dedicate a small portion of your week to this every single day, it’s not overwhelming and can truly give you that free time that you so desire with your kids.

Allow for some space

Despite your best planning, things don’t always go as planned in the summer.  Whether a storm comes up that cancels swim practice, or you have to reschedule a call to pick up your kids in the middle of the day, it’s important to allow some space for the unexpected.

This can’t really be planned for, but by working ahead as in the aforementioned tip above, you can be much more prepared for those unexpected times.  Another way to allow space is to be sure that your kids understand your job, and that it requires you to work during most of the day.  This is much more effective for those with older kids, as they’ll be able to entertain themselves.  Create times of the day where you can do things together or offer a ride, but let it be known that you are working and you do have tasks that need to be accomplished.

When you allow for some space, keep in mind that schedule is always the #1 tip to keep things under control and juggle it all.  Create a family schedule that everyone can see, along with a personal work schedule so you know you’re completing all of your work task

Continue Reading