The mom I am today is not the mom I envisioned I would be just a few years ago. I never would’ve guessed I would be running not 1, but 3 businesses from my home while taking care of my kids. I’m officially a WAHM, and I have been for over 2 years now. Through these few short years I have learned A LOT & today I am here to share my 5 tips for my fellow WAHM’s.
First and foremost let’s define WAHM for those that may not be as familiar with the term. WAHM is defined as work-at-home mom.
Keeping to a schedule and taking these 5 tips into consideration make my WAHM life more manageable.
1.Set a schedule:You have to set time for when you wear your business hat and when you wear your mom hat. My little ones don’t understand why daddy leaves for work and how I work yet I am still home with them. Being able to stick to a routine with them and allowing them to know what is happening next allows for me to work more productively.
2. Simplify your choices: Make easier choices with your daily housework. Laundry for one is a chore that I have to throw into the mix of my daily activities. I personally chose Dreft for my kids laundry. It takes the guesswork out of the activity. It is the #1 pediatrician recommended baby detergent. For the sake of the super sensitiveness of my kids skin, the hypoallergenic liquid is a WIN! Also, Dreft purtouch is 65%plant-based, 0% dyes, 65% USDA certified bio-based- takes out any guess work for me.
3.Take the time: If you were at a 9-5 office space, you would take a mental break aka lunch break time, during your day. Ensure that while you’re home working that you take time for yourself still as well. I take this time to make lunch with my little ones, bond with them, & spend some time reading some of their favorite books to them.
Something I learned recently that I found really interesting from a new Dreft survey was that the smell of Dreft helps you bond with your little one. How cool right? The iconic baby smell of Dreft helps remind me of these baby moments and special time. Let’s be honest, you’re going to blink and it will be dirty socks and packing for college.
4. Take the help: When you first become a mom, you want to be Wonder Woman and take on the world. I was previously hesitant to asking my mom and my mother in law for help on things. I have come to realize that I am lucky to have this support. After prioritizing my responsibilities I realized that taking the help was not a bad thing. This didn’t make me less of a mom or diminish my love for my children. It simply allowed me to be a better mom, to work harder and to accomplish more. My 3 year old takes such pride in folding her own laundry and washing her own dishes. Are they cleaned to my standard of clean? No. But she’s happy as can be in the process. She doesn’t realize they’re all thrown into the dishwasher moments later. With her clothes, are they to the standard I would like? Of course not. But when she reaches into her drawer and pulls out a shirt she knows she folded and put away, she has a sense of pride. There are many other things in this world, in my life and going on that are out of my control.
One of my kids is a little more helpful than the other with some of the housework.
5. Mental Health: This is a taboo that not many speak of, however, it is one of the most important. Being a mother is a HARD JOB, being a working mother is REALLY HARD. Never be afraid to take inventory on your needs. Know when you need to get more rest, know when you need to slow down and always ask for help from those around you. The tried and true saying, “it takes a village” doesn’t just apply to raising the kids – it also applies to helping out us Moms.
I recently started working out again for the first time in years. This is my time for me, to work on me and become a better ME.
At the end of the day, do what works FOR YOU. I’ve learned to make the best choices for me and my family. Motherhood is hard, it’s challenging and its oh so rewarding!
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