How to Stay Productive as a Stay-at-Home Working Mom

Thriving as a mom while staying productive at work while trying to maintain some semblance of sanity is quite the Herculean task. Being a stay-at-home working mom will have you wondering if you are working at home or living at work. Your work meetings may be punctuated with pushing strollers and screaming toddlers. And that blurs the lines and balance between work and home life. There is a need for proper strategies to manage all the demands of calling your name while staying productive. Here are some tips to help you stay productive as a stay-at-home working mom:

Have an official workspace

Your mind needs a sign that it is work time. It can be difficult for your mind to switch to work mode when you work from your couch or bed. A designated workspace signals your mind that it is time to get down and busy. Your dedicated workspace should be free from distractions and have the necessary supplies and equipment you need close at hand. Have everything you need in one place to minimize movements that could curtail your productivity.

Start your day early

Getting up earlier is an excellent strategy for staying productive. Just because you do not need to rush through the door does not give you the excuse to sleep till noon. Get up early and dive right into the day. Waking up at the crack of dawn gives you more hours in your day to fit in more activities while giving you the momentum you need to stay on top of all your tasks. Also, early mornings are a quiet time to work on tasks that require maximum concentration.

Remove digital distractions

At home, checking your social media may seem like fair game. If anything, you are not at work. Unfortunately, it is easy to go down the rabbit hole. A peek into your Instagram page could end up in hours of mindless scrolling during time meant for work. Try to find ways to eliminate digital distractions. Remove social media platforms from your bookmarks and consider logging out of your accounts. It is also a good idea to disable your alerts and notifications on your phone. You can turn do not disturb off when you have completed your day’s work.

Give yourself breaks

Productivity is not synonymous with sitting at a computer for all your waking hours. You can only work for so long before you experience burnout. Remember to take regular breaks to clear your mind and recharge. Use the break time to feed your pets or refill your water bottle or coffee mug. Introduce longer breaks for walks and social interactions. That should help take your mind off work.

Have a routine

Working at home comes with a couple of other responsibilities like cleaning, taking care of your pets, cooking etc. Without a proper routine, either your house chores or work will suffer. A smoother way to manoeuvre amid endless responsibilities is to create a system that will work for you and your household.

Conclusion

Ultimately, balance is essential for a stay-at-home working mom. You need to know when to get busy and when to slow down. You need to realize that downtime is productive time too.