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Moms At Work

The Work-at-Home Option -- Is It for You?

By Mary Dixon Weidler

OK, so you've decided on a business, did your research and preliminary marketing, and maybe even drummed up a customer or two. How do you keep yourself motivated, your momentum going -- and your children quiet -- while you work?

-- It's easier to separate the "work" and "home" aspects of your daily life if you establish a regular routine or working hours, no matter how flexible they may be. "[Setting up a work schedule] was a bit difficult," admits Kim Meredith*, a mom of two who does much of her work as a personal assistant from her Kennewick, Wash. home.

Her position requires her to run errands for a radiologist as well as complete some of his paperwork. "I try to do most of my 'at home' work during the day, while the kids are in school," she says.

Most children will respond when they know what to expect, so establish a set of working hours (early morning while they're engaged with Sesame Street or during their nap, for example) and do your best to stick to them. "My children know I have to work. I talk with them about it often," says Shirley Kawa Jump, a Fort Wayne, Ind. writer and mom of two. "We stick to a schedule, particularly for the younger one, for meals, naps, etc. I also have a ready supply of arts and crafts and favorite movies for when I need to make a deadline."

-- Working at home allows you more time with your children, but many women would only be able to afford that time when the work is completed. Searching for part-time childcare can help guarantee an established set of "work" hours, and a degree of professionalism while talking to employers, contractors and potential clients.

Want to see more?

• Moms At Work Part One: Is Returning to Work Right for You?
• Moms At Work Part Two: The Art of Interviewing
• Work-At-Home Moms Discussion Board
• The Crock Pot: A New Mom's Best Friend

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