Managing your schedule as a Work At Home Mom

I started my Virtual Assisting and Marketing Business this past spring. I have been blessed that it's been mildly successful. I have seven steady clients now. 

But I must admit with a toddler and new baby on the way I worry how I will manage my schedule in the future. 

So how do you manage your day as a WAHM? 

That seems to be the million dollar question. 

SO I reach outed to the internet. 

Earlier this year I read  The Bootstrap VA by Lisa Morosky it's a great book if you're at all interested in starting your own online business. 

Lisa set up a great Facebook page for those who have read the book. That was the first place I sought advice. 

1. Work around your child's sleep schedule. 

The number one thing I heard was work after your babies go to bed. That's great advice, it really is. But when you have a new born, that doesn't work. 

I have a 22-month old and I can't do anything focused when she's around and awake. I work during her naps and after she's in bed and I have a little child are strategically timed to my most productive time of day. And my to-do list is carefully sorted so I can easily find what tasks can be done during different kinds of time (nap, with her, with baby sitter, or brain dead late evening.) I recommend you don't set your sights too high for a while, and be gentle with yourself when the day doesn't go as planned!

2. Write everything down. 

I also reached out to Andrea at Simple Organized Living who said since the birth of her daughter her days are far less structured.

Instead she makes a list of things that need to get done each day and does them whenever she has a chance.

3. Figure out how long each task takes. 

If you have a minute where your child is distracted by a book or a toy, take a moment to plan your client's post schedules or read through and answer emails. 

4. Give yourself a day off. 

Working from home means it's easy to just do one more thing, which can quickly add up to hours and hours of extra work. 

For me my time at home with my son is precious and I want to protect it as much as I can, meaning there are days I just don't work. Or blocks of time I don't work because we are doing special things together. 

5. Set your future goals. 

I want to grow my business so that after my babies start school I can still be home with them after school, summers and holidays. I have no idea what that business will look like, but I am paving the way for five years down the road.