According to the U.S. Department of Labor Statistics, 23 percent of employed adults do some or all of their job working from home. The many women who make a living working from home have popularized the “WAHM” (work-at-home-mom) acronym on Facebook or forums, and they’ve become masters at squeezing an eight-hour work day in between son-rise and son-down (talking kids here). But just because they’re working from home doesn’t mean they’re not hustling. Here’s our list of the best things every work-at-home mom needs for a stronger, smarter, saner hustle from home (we didn’t include coffee, because, well, that goes without saying)…
1. Pajama pants.
Paired with a suit jacket for Skype calls. Because when you have a video conference call, no one can see what kind of pants you’re wearing anyway, so you might as well be comfortable. Keep a couple on hand since sweat pants are a great work-from-home uniform. There are even yoga pants that look like dress pants, if you want to keep your mentality in the right place (and also be less embarrassing when you pick your kids up from Kiddie Academy at the end of the day).
2. Separate Mom and Business Roles.
Being a stay-at-home mom can be hard, and being a working mom is hard, but being a work-at-home-mom can be the most challenging of all. Doing both the working and the mom-ing at the same time is a Sisyphean feat. When you’re a work-at-home mom, you still need help with the mom part and that means planning some reliable and trustworthy child care to watch the kids while you take care of the working part. Some Kiddie Academies have part-time or partial enrollment options if you only have specific days you need help with. If you’re a stay-at-home mom year-round with a side-hustle or part-time gig, take advantage of your local Kiddie Academy’s Camp Adventure, so you can get to work this summer while the kids have fun where they can’t distract you.
3. Your own office space.
Everyone has heard the age-old study advice not to do homework in bed, lest you be tempted to fall asleep. Define a quiet, but organized, space in your home you can train your brain to work in and be expected to work. The dining room table cluttered with old newspapers and last week’s macaroni crafts isn’t going to inspire you to perform your best work.
4. A really great wireless connection.
When it comes to meeting your deadlines and spending time efficiently, a speedy wireless internet connection is mandatory. You might be working from home, but staying connected to the outside world is crucial. Don’t waste time with spinning wheels or turning hourglasses (that’s so 2008, anyway).
5. Mini-Breaks.
It can be refreshing to switch gears and take a little break to have a cup of coffee, make a snack, read a chapter of your book, write a note, or just get some fresh air outside and completely recharge. Working from home doesn’t mean you have to keep your head down and work every minute of the day. In fact, it means you get to decide when you take a break and how. If your home is nearby your local Kiddie Academy, you could even take a lunch break and dine family-style with your kids at noon before heading back home to drill down on deadlines for work.
It can be a little hectic juggling it all some days, but most WAHMs say the rewards of all the multitasking far outweigh the pitfalls. Asking for help with the day-to-day child care duties can be a huge stress reliever for the doing-it-all and having-it-all moms working from home. But yoga pants that look like dress pants are also pretty important.
