Busy Mommy Media» Balancing Work and Family

Staying Focused as a Work at Home Mom

Rachel — Mon, 09 May 2011 18:41:39 +0000

I think of myself as a fairly organized person. I’ve always been able to discipline myself to finish whatever task is on my list without a lot of outside prodding. I even finished my degree through a few online courses that were offered through my university after my oldest son was born and I thrived in a self-paced environment. Then I started working from home and all semblance of organization and self-discipline went out the window.

More often than not, I feel like the dog on the Disney movie UP who is focused and on top of things until, “Squirrel!” . . . except at my house it’s usually little boys getting into things they are not supposed to or demanding attention when I need to work that is distracting me. So what’s a work at home mom to do?

Your To-Do List is your Best Friend

You can’t stay on task if you don’t know what you need to accomplish. I’ve heard moms joke that every time you have a baby you lose 25% of your brain function. I’ve had 4 kids so I think that means I’m in serious, serious trouble. In all seriousness, between sleep deprivation and balancing all the daily demands of motherhood, it’s really no wonder if we forget a few things here or there.

Keep an updated to-do list so you remember what you need to accomplish. Check it often because a to-do list doesn’t do you any good at all if you don’t know what’s on it. I like to use Cozi’s to-do list feature so I don’t lose my list (which really makes it hard to remember what I need to get done) and it has the added benefit of allowing me to add items to my husband’s to-do list so I can delegate).

I tend to get more done when I actively use my to-do list because I love the feeling of accomplishment I get when I can finally check something off. I’ve been known to actually write something down that I already finished just so I could check it off. Yes, I am that big of a geek.

Use a Timer

Time is a sneaky little bugger. It gets away from you faster than a 2 year old in a public place. I’m sure nearly every work at home mom has had the experience of sitting down at the computer just to check a few emails before getting down to the real work of the day only to look at the clock and realize that half the morning is gone.

Use a timer to keep yourself on task and set clear goals for what you want to accomplish before you start working (I like this timer from Polder that switches back and forth between a timer and a clock so it’s perfect for your work at home office). I like to set my timer in 15 minute increments and have a clear goal in mind for that chunk of time. That way, if I start to get distracted I know that the clock is ticking and I’d better get back on task.

Give your Task a Name

To be productive as a work at home mom, you have to find a way to organize your time well. There are many demands on your time and it’s easy to get side tracked when your office and your home get tangled up together. It’s not enough to sit down at your desk and say you are “working”, because that what can start out as work can easily turn into organizing the folders on your computer, aimlessly surfing the internet, or catching up with high school friends you haven’t thought about for years on Facebook.

I have to start a task with a specific end goal in mind. If I tell myself what I am working on, it prevents me from getting side tracked by seemingly urgent tasks that are not helping make progress towards my primary goal.

Minimize Distractions

Distractions can conquer even the best of us. Clear your desk of clutter. This is an ongoing task so you may have to take periodic breaks throughout the day to clear clutter but this will do wonders for your productivity. Close unused windows on your computer so you aren’t tempted to surf the Internet. If your current project doesn’t require the use of the Internet, you may want to disable the Internet from your computer all together until you complete your task.

If you like to listen to music while you work, keep the volume low and choose music that will encourage productivity rather than distract from it. Upbeat music that lifts your mood is a good choice as is classical music.

I don’t like to think of my kids as a distraction but dealing with the constant needs of your children is a reality for work at home moms.

If your children are younger, occupy them with an activity or toy before you start working. My kids can occupy themselves for hours if I pull out the Play-Doh (I keep it on a cookie sheet with a rim to minimize the mess) and I try and rotate their toys so I can pull out a box they haven’t seen in a while if I need to get something done. If all else fails, you can always work while your kids nap or hire a part-time mother’s helper.

Staying Focused is essential if you want to be successful as a work at home mom and it’s an important skill that your children can learn from you if you set a good example.

What tips and advice do you have for staying on task?

Getting Back to Work After Baby

Del Kroemer — Sun, 08 May 2011 03:59:37 +0000

Had a baby lately? If so, it’s likely you took yourself a mini-vacay from your work at home job or a traditional maternity leave.

Either way, at some point the show known as your career must go on – and these tips to getting back to work after having your baby will help you on your way.

Pick a Start Date

The best way to get the ball rolling on anything you intend to do is to set aside a time or date by which or on which you plan to do it. If you had a job outside of your home you would likely be required to return on a particular date, and why? Because that’s how business is done and it also forces you to commit to coming back at a specific time.

Even if commitment isn’t your thing, it will benefit you (and baby and your bank account) if you set yourself a start day and, well, get started!

Start Out Slow

Maybe you worked a full 40 plus hours a week or wrote 10 articles a day as a freelancer. Whatever the case, you should not and likely will not be able to get as much done while working from home with your baby when you first start out.

Your baby might be the fussy type that never lets you get much done without her in your arms, or you may lack the desire to work as much as you did and find it hard to get motivated. That’s where starting slow comes in handy. You can get back to work and build up speed and productivity, adjusting to your and baby’s new schedule.

Bring Baby to Work With You – or Not

When you work from home, everyday is bring your kids to work with you day. Your baby is not going to be as cooperative as an older child would be, but you can get things done with her around if need be – and if she and your job allow.

Working non phone jobs or running a business that is very baby friendly (like a home daycare) will make the transition easier with baby on board.

If your business and your baby don’t mesh well, consider hiring a part time mother’s helper. Your tween neighbor would work just fine, and she’s sure to be affordable.

Consider Alternative Options

Maybe you don’t have to work as much as you did pre-baby, or maybe you don’t need to work at all. Motherhood changes us, but it doesn’t change the fact that we have to make a living. The decision to continue or discontinue working as a wahm after having a child can be a difficult one. These helpful articles can help you with whatever choice you make, from
discovering the best jobs for moms with newborns to finding “Tips to Stay Productive as a WAHM With a Newborn” to determing whether or not you should permanently extend your maternity leave.

Is Being a Mom the Hardest Job in the World?

Rachel — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 09:47:36 +0000

You hear this phrase a lot as a mom. It usually comes from someone trying to sell you something. Or someone who doesn’t have kids yet. They generally scrunch up their face like they are talking to something absolutely squeeze-it’s-cheeks adorable before they say it. Then it comes: “Being a mom is the hardest job in the world”.

And my reaction is always the same. Really? Because, honestly, I like being a mom. I could do with a bit more sleep and I wouldn’t turn down a housekeeper or the chance to go to the bathroom by myself once every 5 years, but being a mom is a pretty good gig.

I can actually think of quite a few jobs that are harder than being a mom because I wouldn’t enjoy them nearly as much. Working as the guy who has to clean up bodily fluids in a hospital, that’s a hard job. Don’t get me wrong, motherhood comes with it’s fair share of bodily fluids, but they are about as close to my own bodily fluids as you can get and when it comes down to it, they really aren’t that gross. Working as a telemarketer – now I know this one from experience — I lasted 2 whole weeks as a telemarketer during college and I wanted to pull my hair out one by one every minute that I was there. Working as an investment banker, now that would be a hard job (and boring, oh so boring).

Actually, any job where you have to either get dressed up (and stay looking presentable until the end of the day) or get up at an insanely early hour does not appeal to me. I usually try and take my kids with me whenever I eat out because they help me cover up the fact that I am messier than them. “Waitress, I’m so sorry. My son seems to have gotten crumbs all over the table, and floor, and it looks like someone spilled a drink.”

Being a mother, there are plenty of early mornings (and late nights), but the difference is, the job comes with perks. So you may wake up 50 times with a baby in the night (or an asthmatic 5 year old in our case) – in the morning no one is expecting you to look professional. In fact, in all likelihood, you’re probably going to get a nap in the middle of the day when the exhausted child takes a nap of his own (or you lay down to help your child get to sleep and you fall asleep instead while your child tries to quietly play with his toys so you won’t notice that he isn’t sleeping).

There’s always the boss issue too. Really, what adult wants someone else telling them what to do? As a parent, you are the ultimate boss. As a working adult, you are required to be at the mercy of someone else, who may or may not actually be smarter than you are. I think this is partially why mommy blogging has taken off so much. Even if you look beyond the fact that blogging gives moms a great way to connect with each other, blogging also allows women to make a bit of money from home in some cases and doesn’t require them to answer to anyone else.

When it comes right down to it, there’s only one hardest job in the world, and it isn’t specific to any one industry or field. The hardest job in the world is one that takes you away from those tiny people who steal your heart the moment they are born – and makes you work long hours, dress up like a grown-up, and answer to someone else. So hats off to working moms – the ones who leave “the hardest job in the world” to take on one that is even harder, and then try to balance the two.

What is your Mommy Guilt Telling You?

Rachel — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 22:12:32 +0000

When my oldest son was born, I vividly remember holding him in my arms in the hospital and feeling myself changed as a person. Motherhood changes all of us, and while I expected the change in perspective, the softening of my personality, I wasn’t prepared for something else that tends to come with motherhood too – the guilt.

It doesn’t seem to matter whether you are a stay at home mom, a working mother, or a work at home mom, guilt just comes with the territory but learning to cope with it is essential, not only for your own health but for the well-being of your children as well. It’s important to figure out why you are feeling guilty so you can work reduce guilt-induced stress in your life.

As a work at home mom, I’m well used to deadlines that come in many forms. There are demands on my time from all directions, and they rarely adapt to make room for each other. As I’ve spent the morning trying to reach a weekly deadline, my 3 year old has been consistent in his pleas for attention.

“Mommy, do you want to play with me?”
“Yes, I do want to play with you, but I have to work.”
“Ok.” . . . . 2 minutes later – “Do you want to play with me now?”

It’s heartbreaking to turn down requests from a child, especially knowing how quickly these tender moments pass. So how do you overcome the mommy guilt when there are multiple demands on your time?

Listen to Your Guilt

We hear over and over again that we need to let go of our guilt, but the truth is, not all guilt is bad. Sometimes guilt is a sign that we need to reevaluate the way we are spending our time.

If you are a working mom, you may be working out of necessity but are you spending extra time everyday socializing after work or working more hours than are really necessary to balance your family budget.
As a work at home mom, are you using your time wisely and getting your work done as quickly as you can or are you letting yourself get distracted, causing you to put in longer hours than you need to in order to get a job done. If your job is flexible, are you working primarily during times when your kids don’t need you, such as nap time, during school, or after bedtime?
Stay at home moms have many demands on their time as well. It’s easy to be distracted by paperwork that needs to be filled out, household tasks, budgeting, coupon shopping, or hobbies. Evaluate your time to be sure you aren’t letting things get out of balance in your daily routine.

Prioritize

I used to work for Franklin Covey and one of the things they really emphasized was separating things that were urgent and things that were important. There are many urgent demands on our time – bills have to be paid, deadlines have to be met, and they often overshadow the things that are important but don’t demand immediate attention. Sometimes sitting down and reading a book with your child is the most important thing, even if it isn’t the most urgent.

Evaluate your Schedule

If you are feeling short on time, you may actually be short on time. Evaluate your schedule to determine whether you or your kids are over-scheduled. Are you spending too much time running around to after school activities and making yourself tight on free time in the evenings? Are you in the habit of saying yes to things when you don’t really have the time to do them? Try and reserve at least one weekday that is free of activities after school and make the weekends a time to recharge and spend time together as a family.

Choose your Battles

There’s no way around it – some things simply have to get done during the course of a day, but it’s easy to get side tracked and end up spending too much time on things that are ultimately not that important. If you have been feeling guilty that you haven’t been spending enough one-on-one time with your child because of your busy schedule, make time. Opt for a quick and easy dinner (frozen pizza or breakfast for dinner) so you can spend some extra time playing a board game with your kids or take a trip to the library. Settle for the house being clean-ish rather than spotless (like that ever happens anyway, right?) and go for a walk around the neighborhood as a family.

Multi-Task

As moms, we’re all expert multi-taskers by nature. Most multi-tasking prevents us from spending quality time with our kids – think checking your email while having a conversation with your child – but the right kind of multi-tasking can be a good thing. Bring your kids into the kitchen and let them help with meal preparation. It may take a bit longer but your children will be learning important skills and enjoying quality time with you. If you have jobs to do around the house, work with your kids.

If your kids are younger, it may take a lot of patience in the beginning to work with them. Do whatever you have to do (bite your tongue, take a sedative) to stop yourself from stepping in and just doing the work for them because as they get older you’ll be glad for the extra help if you have kids who know how to work. Teaching kids to work is one of the most important lessons you can teach them and you’ll get the work done faster so you can all enjoy some down time later on.

3 Ways to Keep the Kids Busy While Working From Home

Del Kroemer — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 05:59:54 +0000

Whether you’ve been a WAHM for one day or many years, one thing you know for sure is that running a home based business requires your attention. If your children are at home during your business hours, they require much of your attention too (or at least they demand it). What’s a WAHM to do? These 3 tips will help you keep the kids busy – and happy – while you tend to your business.

Learning Centers

Creating a learning center (close by your work area for younger children) is a great way to keep kids busy while you work. You can create a center for your child in a corner of your home office if necessary; it need not take up much space. What should the learning center consist of? Here are a few tips that should buy you some time:

Age appropriate books
Blocks or Legos sets
Magnetic play sets (my kids personal favorite, they love the “modern day paper dolls”)
Crayons and coloring or activity books
Puzzles
A stereo and audio books
A small table or desk
A computer for educational game play.

Television

Many parents have an issue with allowing the television set turn into the built in babysitter, and I agree. Children’s television time should be limited, but turning it on and sitting them down in front of it to gain yourself a couple of possibly undisturbed work hours can be a real life – and career- saver. Whether you let them tune into some kid-friendly cable network shows or pop in their own DVDs is up to you (educational DVDs definitely don’t hurt), but I’ve found that my kiddos sit still the longest for their personal favorites from our home collection – sometimes they even want to watch the same thing on repeat; it sounds awful I know, but it gives me time to get some work done and possibly accomplish some household work as well!

Imagination

Too often we parents end up spending big bucks on products meant to entertain our children, when truthfully we could do ourselves and them a favor – and save a few pretty pennies in the process – by giving them the opportunity to explore and play with their precious imaginations.

If your kiddos need some inspiration to get re-acquainted with theirs, Crafty Kids Playhouses might do the trick. You can read my review of one of their products here. Their unique line of eco-friendly cardboard playhouses will spark your child’s imagination and inspire creativity, keeping them busy so you can enjoy a productive business day!

Tips to Stay Productive as a WAHM with a Newborn

Del Kroemer — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 03:42:12 +0000

Balancing a newborn and a WAHM position can create quite a challenge. Your home office just got a bit more crowded, and you’re struggling to remain attentive on your conference call while changing a dirty diaper at your beloved desk! Yes, caring for a newborn and maintaining a home business can be overwhelming. I know this all too well, as I welcomed my 3^rd daughter into the world just recently and have been juggling the two since. However, you’ll find that bottles and business can mix just fine when you use these tips to stay productive.

Make Room For Baby

Though they themselves are small and don’t take up much space, newborns come with plenty of accessories and necessities that can easily fill your home and home office. Since you’ll want to continue working or running your business from your office – a productive space – you need to make it baby friendly so your little bundle of joy won’t find it to be a joyless place for him or her. Depending on how much office space you’ve got to work with, create a play area, changing area and sleep area. Set up a play yard or bassinet close to your work station or desk so you can see your baby and they can catch some Z’s (which they’ll likely catch plenty of). Many play yards double as a sleeping area and have changing tables. Setting up a baby swing and playing soft music may also keep baby calm while you focus on work.

Let Baby Play Boss

If you’ve been a WAHM for awhile, it’s likely you’ve got a schedule you’ve become accustom to working. While you may find it difficult to adjust that schedule, you can bet that baby will have no issue making it difficult to stick to. You’ll need to be flexible with everything from when you work to possibly where you work. Like many WAHMs, you may find yourself sacrificing sleep and breaking the age old rule of sleeping when the baby sleeps to get work completed. Take advantage of quiet and free time as much as possible to remain productive, without overkill and exhausting yourself. Aside from changing up your normal work schedule, you may find that sitting around in your home office all day is not your baby’s favorite thing to do. Hopefully, you have a laptop and can be accommodating; working from home will literally mean working all around your home, and you may spend more time in baby’s nursery than your actual office.

Hire a Helper

Hired help can really help you stay productive as you adjust to life working from home with a newborn. You can have someone come in a few hours a day, a few days a week; though it may not seem like much time, you’ll be amazed at what you accomplish when you’re baby free. You can find a mother’s helper online (just be thorough in your search), through friends or family or a teen in your neighborhood. If you have older children at home or your hubby is available, they can be lifesavers! Have them care for and entertain baby while you work.

Remember What Matters Most

Your business or WAHM position matters, after all it is your livelihood (or a contributing factor). However, you need to remind yourself of that which matters most – your newborn and your own well being. Don’t push yourself to the point of exhaustion and misery attempting to be productive. Get plenty of rest, aim to eat plenty of good foods and don’t miss a moment to create plenty of memories with your baby!

The Best WAHM Jobs for New Moms

Del Kroemer — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 05:56:59 +0000

Becoming a mom – whether it is your first time around or 5^th – can be a bit overwhelming. This is especially true when you have to financially support your baby or children and you find that going back to work just doesn’t appeal to you anymore. There is hope; you can make the money you need to care for your baby while being there for him. These are the best WAHM jobs for new moms interested in taking an “extended maternity leave”.

A Warm WAHM World Welcome

If you were previously working outside the home or are currently doing so, you may have read or should read “Should You Permanently Extend Your Maternity Leave?” for help in determining whether or not working from home will work best for you and your baby.

If you’ve already determined that home is where your heart is and where your office ought to be too, this list of new mom-friendlyWAHM jobs and income generating ideas will help you to make that dream of leaving your demanding boss for your demanding but far more adorable baby a beautiful reality.

Your Job in Your Home

Maybe you love your job and your job loves you, and your job is in on the more frequently seen use of telecommuting. This could equal the perfect work at home situation; where you get to continue contributing to your current place of employment, receive the same income, enjoy company functions and benefits and still be at home with your baby. Your boss may be willing to work with you, even if working your position entirely from home is not an option. You may be required to work on site part time or so many hours a week, or simply attend meetings and give reports daily to show what you’ve accomplished as proof that you actual do the work while you are being granted the privilege of being home.

Creativity Turned Cash

If you have a hobby or skill that will interest, entertain or help others you may be able to put it to work for you. What kinds of hobbies and skills fall into this category?

Writing – there are many opportunities for freelance writing on the web
Crafts – You can create whatever your heart desires and sell it where you wish, but be cautious when looking into work from home business opportunities that ask you to pay for the pieces to assemble their craft products for sales. These are often time and money consuming scams

Social Butterflies in Business

Are you the social type? You may enjoy working from home through a business opportunity that allows you to connect with other moms, people and sale products you are interested in at home parties.

Texting and Typing

You’ll quickly learn that phone jobs can be difficult to maintain for moms of younger children. Even with a newborn that sleeps the majority of the time, phone jobs – especially those with set hours – can be a bit much for a beginner WAHM with a baby. If you have typing skills or enjoy texting, there are many companies that allow you to answer questions, engage in conversation or offer customer support of the technical kind via your computer’s keyboard.

Childcare

If you love children, you may consider taking in a few to care for and either babysit part time or provide full time care for in a home daycare setting. While this can be exciting, remember that your baby will need lots of attention and so will the other children you take on caring for. Will you be up to it?

Remember, there are plenty of real opportunities to earn bucks and time with your bundle of joy. Be thorough in your search for WAHM positions and see what works best for you.

Should You Permanently Extend Your Maternity Leave?

Del Kroemer — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 04:49:52 +0000

As I anxiously await the arrival of my 3^rd daughter, I am beginning to recall the time when I first considered becoming a WAHM. The desire was very real, but I had no idea where to find legitimate work that I could do from home. Part of me was so torn because I loved my job in the hospitality field and being around people, but I had no idea how much my heart would ache when I found myself spending far more time at work than at home with my first born and second daughter. The experience of becoming a mother after being a working woman outside of the home can be very different for each individual. While most women are sure to take advantage of their company’s maternity leave policy, some find themselves anxious to get back to their work place while others begin to dread the thought. That little bundle of joy can be difficult to leave behind, even for a few hours a day. If you find yourself struggling to get out the door with your brief case instead of baby in hand, you may want to consider permanently extending your maternity leave.

Are You a Working Mom or a WAHM at Heart

You’re sure to miss your baby when you are away at work, but will you be able to cope? Either way? You’re baby is a good thing, but will you feel you’re getting too much of a good thing if you decide to stay home with her? Here are some signs you may want to continue working outside the home and some signs you may be better off as a WAHM.

Signs you may be a work outside the home mama all the way:

- You love and are dedicated to your job and it isn’t something you could do from home

- Much of your self-worth comes from your job (pats on the back from employers and coworkers, helping the company advance, receiving raises and promotions in position)

- You couldn’t imagine cutting out so much of your adult one on one time

- You thrive working face to face with others

- You aren’t very self disciplined and thrive in an environment where the schedule and objectives are laid out for you and you’ve got someone pushing and directing your work day

- You have childcare options that you feel comfortable with and you’re confident both you and baby will be just fine throughout your work day

Signs you’ve got WAHM potential:

- You love your job, but you truly feel your baby needs you more than your boss does

- You love your job and it is flexible enough to allow you to work from home for the company

- You already have ideas you’d like to try out that would allow you to stay home with baby and have an income

- You don’t mind the idea of losing out on daily face to face interaction with adults other than your hubby

- You are self driven and disciplined, you work well –if not better- on your own

- You dread the thought of leaving your baby in someone else’s care, especially if you have no relatives to watch her while you work

Which category’s signs sound most like you? Sometimes you’ll find your feelings and needs change over time; it is rather difficult to determine whether or not you will truly desire to go back to work or work from home before your baby is actually in your home and arms. So, enjoy your maternity leave and seriously contemplate what will be best for both you and your baby. A happy mom makes for a happy baby. If you conclude that you want to give the WAHM life a go, let your boss know as soon as possible so the company can make arrangements to either replace you…or if possible and desired, to accommodate you working from home!

In my next posts, I’ll share the best WAHM jobs for new moms/mothers of newborns and tips for staying productive while working from home with a newborn!

How to Help Loved Ones Understand What It Means to Be a WAHM

Del Kroemer — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 05:09:12 +0000

Whether you’ve been a WAHM for a while or are just starting out working from home, you’re sure to face the shared challenge of having loved ones not understand that what you are doing from home is actual work! Some may tell you to get a “real job”, but you know that the one you’ve got is a real job even though you aren’t leaving the house to get the job done. Here’s how you can help them to understand that too.

Take Your Job as Seriously as You Want Others to Take It

Although people have been working from home for some time now, many individuals still treat the idea as a foreign one. You may need to educate them on what it really means to work from home and the fact that it is truly work! You’d have a great argument simply by stating that just because someone goes to a brick building to work it doesn’t mean they are actually working either. Many people drive to a job, punch in and then get paid to do very little and end up socializing for eight hours a day. So, just because you are home it does not mean you will be slacking off. In fact, when you are your own boss you don’t get a paycheck if you decide to play around on the job. Clarify that first with those who think working from home isn’t work at all! Then tell them that you plan to work, what you will be doing and when – and do those things! If you are constantly being caught on Facebook throughout the day they’ll think your WAHM job is a joke. No one will take your job seriously if you don’t.

Present Your WAHM Plan

If you’ve been a WAHM for a while, those living within your household may or may not have gotten used to what you do. If you have yet to begin working from home, discuss the above with your family and wait until you have some good leads on legit work at home jobs to present before doing so. Showing your loved ones just what it is you can do from home and how it all works is the best way to help them understand and realize the real work that is involved in various WAHM positions.

Create a Schedule and Stick to It

Even if it is agreed that you should or need to work from home due to your family’s financial needs or other reasons, it often happens that friends and family “forget” that you are attempting to work from home successfully. When this occurs, your work day gets interrupted – and so does your potential pay. A schedule is necessary, whether you are well organized yourself or not. Create a work schedule -being flexible and assuring it fits your family’s life and routines- and stick to that schedule as closely as possible! Stick it up on a wall where everyone in your home can see it and share your chosen work hours with friends as well, so they aren’t just stopping by to chit chat in the middle of the day!

It may take some time, but with dedication to your WAHM position(s) the roots of your labor are sure to show and no one will be able to deny that your job is in fact a real one!

The Benefits of a Laptop When Working From Home With Children

Del Kroemer — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 01:48:37 +0000

More moms (and dads!) are getting in on the action of starting their own home business or working from home in general. But often times the ability to have a room for an office is not practical for some and with children to chase around an entire house, you may end up spending little time in an office if you do have one. This is why laptops are the best solution and highly beneficial for work at home parents.

You Can Take Your Laptop Anywhere

If your children are watching TV in the living room, you can sit on a couch beside them and work. The lightness of the laptop and the wireless capabilities should provide you with everything you need. If you want to work in the kitchen or take the computer out back in the yard while they play, it can all be done with ease. No cords are required, and with a quality laptop you can run your battery for up to 6 hours without having to worry about plugging it back into the wall. With a strong modem that is centrally located in your home you should have no problems still receiving a signal and browsing online whether you are inside or outside your home.

Use Your Laptop as a Mobile Device

With the benefits of software such as Skype –which allows you to talk to people from around the world for free- you can plug in a microphone and headset device and hold conference calls, one-on-one trainings, discuss project details with a client, or participate in group discussions on a social level. With the use of a noise cancelling headset, you can cut out the sound of your children, allowing them to continue playing while in your vicinity.

Laptops Are Space Savers With Loads of (Hard Drive) Space

You do not need to worry about the lack of storage space that a laptop may consist of or how much space it’ll take up wherever you are. Laptops were made to be portable and are perfect for use in the home or on the go. With the recent changes in some of the modern laptops, you can purchase one with almost as much hard drive space as a desktop. If you do have the need for more space, you can purchase a 16gb flash drive that is the size of an eraser and conveniently load and store it on a shelf in your kitchen closet. That way you won’t have to worry about your children getting onto your laptop and wiping out your files or projects due the next morning!

Your children may want to emulate you when you use a laptop. Since it is so compact, you could give them your old laptop, or even find a deal for $100 around back to school time. This is a great way to encourage them to learn how to search for things online, play games and strengthen their interactive skills, listen to music, and learn to sit quietly “working” away beside you for hours. These are some of the benefits you can reap when using a laptop while working at home with your children.