New Breed Of Homework

Mom Logic:

We contacted Julie Lenzer Kirk, author of The ParentPreneur Edge: What Parenting Teaches About Building a Successful Business, for her pointers for WAHMs.

Is it ever really possible to work at home if you have small kids at home too?

Julie Lenzer Kirk: There are many benefits to working from home with young children, but there are also challenges to overcome, such as the interruption factor. Some tasks can be done in piece-meal fashion, but there are many that require a solid block of focus time to complete. One way many work-at-home moms work is when their child is napping. Another approach is to trade-off time watching your child with another mom who is interested in finding those blocks of time, too. You watch their child one day and they return the favor another. I have also talked to moms who have a neighborhood teenager come over after school just to play with the kids so they are occupied and Mom can get some work done. If you do that, make sure you stay out the children’s sight for as long as possible. Once they see you, it is hard to go back into seclusion.

How can Moms who work at home achieve any “balance”? Or are they always on the clock?

Julie Lenzer Kirk: When you work from home, it helps greatly to have your office in a room with a door you can close. That way, when you’re done for the day, you leave the space both physically and mentally. When your office is in your bedroom, you are constantly reminded of the work that needs to be done, and there is ALWAYS something else to do.

What are the advantages for a Mom working at home?

Julie Lenzer Kirk: There are many advantages for a Mom to work at home. First, you can’t beat the commute. I try to take the time that I would normally be commuting and walk on the treadmill. Second, when your kids are in school, you don’t have to rush home to meet the school bus. Third, you have the ability to work around your own schedule, whether you’re a morning person or get cranking in the evenings, and leave day time to spend more time with your kids. Forth, if you’re like me, you want that satisfaction that comes from using a different side of your brain and contributing to the family income while still being able to be there for your family. You might not be the one sending home-baked cookies in to school for your child’s birthday or sewing their Halloween costume, but you can if that is something that is really important to you.

Read more.

Photo by MSDesigns.

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