I don’t know about you but I find working from home requires me to be more organized than when I worked at a j.o.b. I’m not sure what it is but maybe it’s my tendency to be a workaholic. The internet just has too much information. I can easily spend hours researching and learning new skills that will help me more valuable in my work. More valuable means I can charge more money. Charging more money means I can work less. That’s my ultimate goal. In the meantime, I need to find a way to continue my quest to work less hours and keep up with my housework at the same time. My kitchen sink has too many dishes in it right now and my laundry pile is getting bigger by the minute. I forgot to pick up soap at the grocery store the other day, which means I have to go out again tomorrow to pick some up. Too much to do and not enough time to do it. I need to get organized!

Anyway,  yesterday I found these most awesome whiteboard wall decals. I just had to order them so I can put them in my office and in my kitchen as a great place to write my chores down and for my husband and kids to write down grocery items we need. I certainly can’t remember everything and writing it down is a great place to start. I’ll post pix as soon as my new whiteboards arrive. I have high hopes for them!

…because we all need one now and then.

A lot of people think working from home means that you can stay in your pajamas all day, eat bon bons, and not have any real responsibilities. That’s just not true. Well, ok…you can stay in your pajamas all day if you want (and sometimes I do!). But the truth is, work-at-home moms work just as hard as work-outside-of-home moms – maybe even harder, some days. We have to juggle play time, lunch time, scraped knees and smashed fingers with work, client calls and email – all with spit up on our shirts. The bottom line is, no one can work 12 hours a day with very few breaks and stay healthy and sane.

So, as part of a healthy new lifestyle, I’m resolving to take regular breaks from work and the kids. Even if it’s only a few minutes, anything is better than nothing. Join with me! Let’s take a break!

Today I am reminded of how great it is to be a work at home mom who runs her online marketing business from the comfort of her home office and laptop. (these days my home office is actually my living room couch)

My 8 year old son is home sick from school today. He came home from school last night with a fever and a few hours after he went to bed the vomiting began. I knew he most likely wouldn’t be at school today. It was almost a sure bet. But I didn’t feel the dread I would’ve felt if I worked outside my home at a j.o.b. Instead I felt a sense of relief that having a sick child at home wasn’t going to impact my work day at all.

There was no stress around having to call my boss and explain why I wouldn’t be at work due to taking care of my sick child. No guilt from being told I need to cover my shift or how they would be short-handed without me being there. (If you’ve ever worked in non-union restaurants or daycare you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about)

I feel sad for my son who is home sick today. He’s feeling miserable. But I am grateful that I am here to take care of him AND my clients at the same time.  He’s lying on the couch beside me right now curled up in a blanket with a pillow under his head. I’ve finished up my client work and now I’m writing this blog post. He’s taken care of, my clients are taken care of and the merge between business owner and mom is working well.

Yep, I love working from home. I wouldn’t want it any other way.