
( Note from Kat: Today’s post is from my friend, and monthly contributor, Liz Griffin )
Okay, lets be honest. EVERY mother works.
In the home, from the home, outside the home. I don’t care what preposition you use, all mamas put in their hours! Some of my friends homeschool their kids ( hello, thats a job), work in business offices, or work hard managing the everyday running of their homes. Any bloggers out there? That can feel like a job sometimes, right?
I have the fantastic option to work from home. I am a writer and also work with an anti-trafficking organization. My hours are flexible based on my kids schedule and what projects I have the capacity to take on.
5 Tips For Balancing Work and Home Life
Balance is not a concept that comes naturally to me. I have had to be very intentional about making room for both my work life and my home life. Here are a few of the things I have learned along the way.
1. Create a peaceful morning. Nothing throws my day and starts the family off on the wrong foot like a frantic morning. A little prep work the evening before always pays off for me. Laying out the outfits, thinking through lunches and packing backpacks. Plus, waking up on time usually helps.
2. Ask God the plan for the day. Each morning I talk to God about my day. What are my priorities today? Do my kids need anything specific? I find that He is faithful to prompt me if needed to add in a little extra time with one of my kids who may be having a hard time with a friend at school. Or He may tell me to scrap one of my to-do lists for something else. This is a must for my sanity and to be at peace knowing that I am doing what I am need to be doing.
3. Find your ” off ” switch. Err… I have by no means mastered this one. I am constantly looking for ways to turn my work brain off when it is time to play with my kids. Equally, I need to stop worrying if I moved the laundry when it is time for a business conference call.
One thing I have found helpful is not to have my phone on me when I am not “working”. The temptation to return emails, send one more text, and browse social media comments is just too much. I keep it far enough a way that I am not distracted by it, but close enough to grab when I need to take another pic of my kids doing something cute. Because, lets face it. The world needs more pics of my kids.
4. Set a consistant routine. I am not naturally a scheduled person. However, I have found it is really helpful for my kids. They do better knowing when they will play with me, when they need to be quiet in their rooms and when I have my “work” hours.
I have noticed my homeschooling friends are amazing at this. Their little kids get into a routine of playing by themselves while the older kids are in class. It is brilliant how you homeschooling moms juggle this one. Mad props to all of you.
5. Don’t feel guilty. Comparison and guilt is a temptation for every mom. None of us do it all. I am always having to remind myself that I am doing my best, and God has my back. My kids don’t need a perfect mom. They just need me to to my best and rely on Jesus big time.
God has each of us on different journeys and paths, and no matter what preposition comes before our “work” we are all created to thrive. He has a way to balance all the spinning plates we have going on in our lives.
Do you have any great tips or insight to share on balancing “work” life and “home” life? Click here to share and join the discussion!
Elizabeth is a church planter, speaker, writer and naptime abolitionist. She lives in Texas with her husband and two little kids. Her other hobbies include wasting time on social media, trying to remember where she parked her car & browsing Pinterest for DIY projects she will never actually make. You can visit her over at Lark & Bloom or on twitter @larkandbloom.