How to Balance Parenting With Working at Home

Working from home may sound like a dream come true to many people, but in reality, it's more of a juggling act. Issues concerning time management, division of labor and availability are often concerns for the work-at-home parent. When considering working from home, it is important to look at the reality of what working from home entails. In some cases, working from home may prove to be more difficult than going into an office every day.

Instructions

  1. The Reality of Working from Home

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      Manage your time wisely. When working from home, it can be easy to find yourself using today's technology to check emails, surf the internet and respond to phone calls throughout the entire day, advises psychotherapist Joanne Stern in her Psychology Today article "Balance Your Work and Your Kids' Needs." If you have a child at home during the day, it is important to use nap times for work. You may also utilize a babysitter for set times that you can set aside to focus on work. A household calendar can be a great resource for maintaining a routine for the work-at-home parent.

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      Be prepared to make some tough choices. There are going to be times when you have to say no to something. Whether it is a work project that would help you further your career or chaperoning a child's field trip, working from home is full of tough choices that require prioritizing of your time and efforts, says individual and family therapist Robin B. Thomas in her Zero to Three article "Parenting and Professionalism: The Myth of Having it All." The more you practice choosing what you can and cannot commit to, the less stressful it may seem to work from home.

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      Lean on your partner for help. Just because you work from home does not mean all household and child-related tasks fall upon your shoulders, advises the AskDrSears.com article "Avoiding Mommy Burnout." When a work-at-,home parent feels overwhelmed she should ask for help. Partners should work together to determine how to divide the workload. It is important that the work-at-home parent share the household burden with her partner to avoid feeling resentful toward being at home.

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