Working at home while raising kids isn’t easy as you thought it would be. Many work-at-home moms share their everyday struggles, and you will most likely experience the same things too.
Nothing could ever prepare you for the twist and turns of working at home and taking care of kids simultaneously. It will change your life forever. In general, working and raising kids will put you in challenging situations, testing your patience as a mom and as an employee.
Let’s face it. It’s hard. And it would require you to work hard (on both responsibilities) and put yourself at the last priority most of the time. If you are just about to start as a work-at-home full-time mom, this article is for you. Let’s understand what it’s like to be a WAHM and find out how to manage the struggles.
Letting work take over your life.
When you’re a WAHM, your work is often the thing on your mind in the morning. And often, it’s the last thing on your mind before you go to sleep. Whenever you have an extra minute, you’re tempted to work on your laptop and do the following:
- Answer an email
- Send a pitch
- Review your report
- Call your boss back
- Say hello to clients
And the list keeps going on and on. Work will always be around, and there’s always something to do. Not being able to stop working is a real struggle for work-at-home moms. As a result, they often neglect their tasks as mothers.
Set boundaries. The only way to balance everything and prevent yourself from being a workaholic is by setting boundaries. Take breaks when needed, set a time limit for work chores, and put your phone down during family time.
Isolation
A lot of people don’t understand the concept of working remotely. For them, it’s a complete scam that doesn’t require the same set of skills you need in working in the field.
But of course, it’s a different scene for your kids. They don’t see your work as a scam, but it will leave them confused. Your kids will question why you’re always on your computer or phone and why you don’t play with them at home.
Working or doing business remotely is legit. But your family, especially your kids, need to understand why you do it. When they don’t understand your career at work, they might start to disconnect from you, causing you to feel isolated.
Yet, it’s important to remember that you’re not alone and that there are ways to make your family understand your situation. Explain to them your nature of work and how it helps you grow as a person. Your kids will most likely realize how hardworking you are if you go into details and share how you do your work.
For example, if you work for a video production company, show them how you edit videos, add special effects, music, filters, and everything that makes a video or film amazing. After all, kids are visual learners. They understand more when they see things.
Mom guilt
Mom guilt is common among work-at-home moms. Due to work demands and the seemingly never-ending tasks you need to do, you’re usually left with little to no time at all to play with your kids. And moms, even dads, feel guilty about this.
Not to mention the other responsibilities you need to do, house chores, cooking, buying groceries, and all that comes in between. All these things put a lot of pressure on working moms, and you might think that your life is going upside down.
Remember that you’re not superhuman. You might be a mom, but you have limitations too. Do not try to do all things at once and try to finish one task at a time. Set your schedule right so you’ll have the time you need to work and enough time to spend with your kids and spouse.
Comparing yourself with other moms
You have to understand that someone out there will always be better than you, and someone across the globe is better than them. It’s a cycle. With so many moms out there working from home like you, you can quickly start comparing yourself with others.
What you need to do is to stop checking out other people’s lives and start focusing on yours. Your progress might not be as speedy as others, but you will get to where you want to be as long as you keep moving forward.
Wanting to give up
As much as you’re enjoying your time at home working and being a mom at the same time, it’s a job that will leave you exhausted all the time. The struggles you face will often push you to your limits, leading you to give up. Because, of course, giving up is more manageable.
When things get complicated and you feel like giving up, take a break. Rest from work for a day or two and pamper yourself. Don’t ever feel guilty about taking care of yourself because you deserve it.
Working at home and being a mom is all about balance. Remember that you work not only for yourself but for your kids as well. Set realistic goals so it’ll be easier for you to manage things.
