Work At Home assembly

Balance Your Home Business and Your Family Life?

• Write out a list of required tasks and break that down to monthly, weekly and daily lists. For example, if you do laundry twice a week - write down what days you'll do that. Write down your minimum required hours for work, grocery shopping, exercise routines, play dates.....everything.


• Write out your wish list of things you'd like to accomplish. Let's say you've been dying to join a health club, yet it's never been a huge priority - write it down. This is your list of dreams. If you want to take a painting class or you want to join your local Chamber of Commerce - write it down.


• Write down your household's schedule as it is right now. This may take a week to observe and take notes. You can't outline a new schedule until you are fully aware what your current schedule is.


• Invest in a nice, large daily planner. This is something you shouldn't be afraid to splurge on. Make sure you get one you like. I don't want you to cringe each time you look at it.

• Looking at your current schedule, make notes in your daily planner about all your required tasks: meal times, laundry, grocery shopping, team practices and play times - everything that is a must do that you know has to be done (or is done) on specific days and times. Don't be afraid to overlap things to make yourself more productive. If you know you can a load of laundry done at the same time you're making dinner, write it down. Just be careful about spreading yourself too thin!


• Now that we have the bones of your schedule laid out, lets add your work hours. If you know you must work a minimum of 25 hours each week to stay ahead, schedule that into your planner. Some days you may work more hours than others. That's okay. That's the beauty of working from home - flexibility! Again, don't be afraid to overlap tasks. If you have numerous postcards to send to your clients/customers, you may be able to do this while you're attending your son's soccer practice! Pack up your postcards, a couple of good pens (in case one runs out), your address list and write them out during practice. I wouldn't advise this during a game as your son would definitely be heartbroken if you missed seeing him kick the winning goal because you were busy working.


• Before you go to the next step, you must schedule time for yourself. Give yourself at least ten to fifteen minutes each and every day for you to be with yourself! Do not overlap anything else with this block of time. This is time for you to enjoy a cup of tea, read, talk to a friend on the phone - just whatever you like to do. This small amount of "Me time" will give you the intellectual and physical energy your body needs to carry you through each day.


• Your schedule is most likely getting very full by now. At the same time, I'm willing to bet you're surprised there are available blocks of time left over. Now is when you add items from your wish list. However, be careful not to fill up every available minute of time there is. If you do so, I guarantee you'll end up frustrated at not fulfilling your daily tasks. Keep in mind that your children will require your help for homework, your spouse will need you to help with a project or lend a supportive ear and your mother will call when she's not "scheduled" to.