Working at Home while homeschooling

Is working at home while homeschooling possible? I know many people who homeschool are usually on a single budget. Money can get tight and stress levels can rise. Many stay at home parents that homeschool want to find out a way to supplement that income.

I am here to tell you that it is possible! Not only that, but you can be successful at it without neglecting your homeshool, house chores, or your parenting time. I will tell you how!

I’m going to say an “S” word here that you might not like. SCHEDULE! Yes, having a planned schedule can make or break your work at home success. With a good solid schedule you can achieve so much more in much less time.

I started working at home as soon as my kiddo was born. I struggled a lot with stress and there were many times I just wanted to throw the towel in! However me not working is not an option. We rely on my income to help pay our bills. So yea, more stress! I’m sure many of you can relate.

Last year I discovered what I was doing wrong. I wasn’t following a schedule ! I also didn’t have any real plan in place. Either my homeschooling efforts suffered or the housework suffered. Both in which increased my stress even more.

So last year (almost 2yrs ago now) I made a schedule and it lifted so much stress from my days. I am not a person who likes to follow any sort of schedule, but this worked! After a while I didn’t feel like it was a “schedule” it just became a natural routine for me and it can for you as well.

So here it is. Ask yourself what work needs to be done with your home business? Make a list of your daily tasks.

Now look at your daily activities. If you are anything like me it went something like this. Wake up, feed kiddo, try to work while he eats (not very long), play with kiddo (thinking about unfinished work), homeschool, snack time (wait did I have breakfast myself or just feed kiddo?), try to work and eat while kiddo has a quick snack, kiddo begs for attention, go play and finish up lessons, have lunch, kiddo begs for attention fairly quickly after eating, go play or teach him some housework (because it’s great for kids to do chores to!), maybe run some errands in town, husband comes home, try to work like a mad woman until you have to make dinner, make dinner, eat dinner, play time again, bath time, bedtime, work like a mad woman until you feel like you are about to pass out….. WHEW! That was crazy! No wonder I was always burnt out!

So can you see why that needs some organization?

Now look at what needs to be done for your home business and see what your daily activities are. Where can you focus your work time the most? Can you make more time somewhere? Once you figure this out you will have a nice schedule to work with. You will get more done and have less “mommy guilt” about it.

For me this is what I ended up doing for my work times. And please keep in mind that I am NOT a morning person, but you gotta do what you gotta do sometimes.

*Wake up at 6am and work until kiddo gets up at 8am

*During lunch time try to get emails sent out and check business FB

*When husband gets home @ 4:30pm work until dinner time @ 6pm

*After 9pm when kiddo is asleep work until 11pm

So that isn’t to bad right? That’s 5 and 1/2 hours in the day that I know I will dedicated to work. I don’t have stress out about it during play time or during dinner. I KNOW that I have set this time aside for my work and I can relax!

The 2 key factors to making this work is:

*Stick to your work schedule
*Stay focused and on task during your work time. It is so easy to get distracted! Close all tabs on computer that you don’t need open and improve your focus.

It isn’t always easy to work from home, but I hope this gives you some encouragement. It is defiantly possible!