This can be a tricky subject for most creatives. Personally, I do my best work when I can have complete focus on one thing, and one thing only. To find my own balance as a work from home wife has taken quite literally, years. Multi-tasking is something I’m great at during cleaning sessions, (so good in fact, that my husband claims I zone out and hide things from myself). He may be right…
Anyways, since I’ve started working from home full-time about a year ago, life has been a little different. Quite different, really. (For example, my dog is currently trying to lick me and all the while stepping on my keyboard…I hold high regard for working moms out there, and dads, no kiddos here yet! I don’t know how you guys do it!) Finding that balance is extremely hard at first, and it’s taken me nearly this long to actually figure it out.
Trial and Error
I’ve tried switching my tasks around and using planners and the like. But honestly, I think it’s just more of a trial and error of sorts. You can have the best of intentions for some super progress one day, and then a big ol’ wrench just gets thrown right on into it and says, “Nope! Not today!”
Therefore, as a work from home wife, I have put together the following list of what I have come to find are the most important things to consider when trying to find your own personal work-from-home balance. The hubs has been off a lot recently, and so we’ve been remodeling our home a lot, FOR THE SECOND TIME. *Grunts.*
However, the upside is (besides getting to spend a lot of extra time with my bff) it’s forced me to really switch into high gear to keep up with everyday tasks, even the mundane ones, (I’m looking at you, laundry), and also spend enough time to keep up with my business. Read on to see what you can think about incorporating into your mindset as well, to find the perfect balance for you and your schedule.
Know Your Limits
This is pretty straightforward. You’ve gotta know when it’s time to hustle, but also when it’s time to stop for the day. Make sure you leave enough time to meditate if that’s something you like doing or time for creating healthy meals. You can be your own worst enemy as a work from home wife and you need to know how far you can push your workload before snapping on the hubster for leaving a sock on the floor.
Be Realistic
Tying in with the previous tip of being a work from home wife, being realistic to yourself about how much work you can actually take on while finding that balance in working from home, is the simple key to success. It’s really easy to keep your to-do lists long and lengthy, but in actuality, tasks always take way longer to complete than previously planned.
This of course goes for house tasks, and also work duties. Sometimes, you know that adding one more thing on your to-do list is going to send you over the edge, so just relax, take a breather, and make sure to do that thing first and foremost tomorrow.
Be Truthful with Yourself
If you know that you have to get such and such tasks completed on that specific day, do those things first. If you’re like most work from home wives, and myself as well, procrastination is always lurking in dark corners and can get the best of you.
Just be upfront with yourself, and make sure to complete your tasks in order of importance. It’ll feel way nicer knowing that it’s highly certain you’ll be able to get everything done, rather than taking on more than you can handle and stressing yourself to the max.
Be a Killer Work from Home Wife at Time Management
Time management is funny, in that, it takes time to find out how to best manage the time you have. This is partly what I meant by trial and error earlier. After doing something enough times, it becomes easier to see how you can fit it better into your schedule. Personally, I know that I am insanely better than I was in previous years.
I think that when you get in the habit of a task that needs to be completed often, aka dishes, you find better pockets of time that you can fit those things into, instead of taking out a whole chunk of your day.
Don’t Get Distracted (Keep your goals in sight, literally)
I am most certainly one of those people that gets distracted easily. But when it comes to working, I like to stay focused and highly alert to what I’m doing, as much as possible. My business is extremely important to me, and I want to be doing my best 100% of the time.
By “keeping your goals in sight,” I mean, writing sticky notes if you have to! If this helps your productivity, by all means, buy stock in the dang things. I keep all sorts of notes and reminders around, to keep me in check and on schedule. Take, for example, this sweet sign I got recently, featured in my latest post.
If you too, get distracted easily, this may be a big help for you. I’ve found that it keeps those goals fresh in your mind and keeps you willing to work at it on a regular. It sounded silly to me at first, but this, in particular, has been a big turning point to my productiveness.
Stick With It
Hopefully, these tips will help you out as they have helped me. Just remember to stick with it and put these tips into place with everyday life. I promise it can only get easier, and as it gets easier, you will become better. Now go get after it!
Refresher:
- Know Your Limits
- Be Realistic
- Be Truthful with Yourself
- Kill it at Time Management
- Don’t Get Distracted
Thank You!
A giant thanks to everyone that has supported me this far into my journey! I greatly appreciate you returning to read my posts hope that you will continue to drop by in the future.
I am always open to advice, suggestions, or even hearing related stories of your own! See what else is happening at Rooted Drawers!
