Pursuing an online entrepreneurial position can be a frazzling journey, especially for those of us with children. It’s no wonder many stay-at-home parents, both moms and dads, frequently suffer from exhaustion – they’re responsible for taking care of their children’s needs as well as their own. When you combine childcare with normal errands, housekeeping, and other factors it can easily become a process that feels more overwhelming than enjoyable.
So how can you, as a work-at-home mom, defend against exhaustion and achieve that almost mystical-sounding work-life balance we all crave?
The most important thing to remember is that no two families are alike – you have to do what works for you! There is no one right or wrong way to manage a work-at-home lifestyle. One of the best perks of working from home is the flexibility it provides, so use that to your advantage!
Maybe for you this means taking a nap in the middle of the day, or working after the children are asleep. It might mean you work fewer days, but longer hours on those days. Or, maybe you prefer to work in short bursts in between tending to your children’s needs. Try different approaches until you find something that works for you and your family.
Your needs are unique, so your methods should reflect that. Don’t compare yourself to other parents and how they do things. Some online entrepreneurs can sit in a noisy room and run a business, while others need peace, quiet, and a space away from their loved ones in order to be productive. Neither approach is inherently right or wrong, so you shouldn’t feel like a failure if someone else’s ideal work-at-home lifestyle doesn’t work for you.
It’s also good to keep in mind that the things your fellow entrepreneurs make available to the public eye don’t show the entire picture. Their lives may seem perfectly ordered and balanced on the outside, but in reality they could be far more chaotic. By only paying attention to their public personas, you’re likely seeing an idealized version, not the whole truth. If you compare yourself to that ideal, you may be unnecessarily beating yourself up for not being able to handle the work-at-home lifestyle flawlessly. Remember, no one is perfect!
Being a stay-at-home parent can be exhausting enough on its own, and adding the burden of an entire career to an already chaotic schedule is enough to wear out anyone. However, there’s no reason for you to work yourself to the point that you regret this career choice.
Whatever your reasons for being a work-at-home parent, you shouldn’t have to suffer from needless exhaustion or self-judgement. Shape your work-at-home lifestyle around your specific needs and situation. Not every day will go as planned, but if you focus on doing what works best for you and your family, achieving your desired work-life balance will no longer an impossible dream, but a reachable goal!