Remote working moms are having a hard time juggling work, taking care of the kids, and managing the home. For many, it’s an unending flurry of activities that sees women running helter-skelter, trying to meet the needs of their bosses, spouses, and children.
If you’re a remote-working mom who has been battling with time management, we have created a quick list of effective time management strategies that you can use to get a lot more done and take care of your loved ones.
This way, neither your work nor family life suffers. You’ll be able to achieve that very elusive balance that many women desperately crave.
Have a Schedule for the Children
The first thing you’ll need to establish with the children is boundaries and schedules. This is particularly important during the summer holidays when there are no schooling activities.
In the past, parents would just send the kids to summer camp or something. But with covid-19, most parents are not willing to take that risk. Find something to engage the kids when you’re working. Thankfully, you could have them join virtual coding camps to keep them busy. They’re pretty popular this year.
Some moms basically get their children ready for the next year by having them go through the materials for the new session. This way, when the kids resume, they’re able to adapt faster and even top their class. Thankfully, covid-19 helped many parents instill this routine, so it shouldn’t be too hard to replicate again.
Set Achievable Daily and Weekly Goals
With the kids at home, you’re not likely to be as focused as you would be if you were away at the office. So set and commit to realistic deliverables for work and your personal goals.
An ambitious to-do list does no one any good if you won’t be able to meet those targets. Ultimately, you’ll end up feeling incompetent if you’re unable to complete the tasks you set out to do. If this happens too frequently, you might start resenting the kids and transferring those feelings of “unworthiness” to the kids –this doesn’t promote feelings of self-love.
Minimize Unnecessary Activities
This includes parent-teacher association meetings, brunch with other moms, or going to the mailbox. When it comes to your time, you have to guard it jealously. For instance, a virtual mailing address for home office can save you a lot of combined “woman hours” on the road –particularly if you’re traveling and need to have your mail forwarded.
That’s time that you could have put into work so that you can have more free time or just spent relaxing and unwinding. Yes, you might seem a bit distant, and the other moms might not like it, but you’ve got to take care of yourself.
An improperly managed schedule induces stress, and all the cortisol in your blood does your body no good. Not only will that stress affect your work output, but it’ll also affect your relationship and even your physical health.
Remember, done is better than waiting for your work to be perfect. If your work is good enough, send it in and move on to other tasks for the day. This is how you get to save more time, reduce stress and have some actual control over your schedule.
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