How to Work From Home While Caring For Your Baby

Staying home with your little one gives you an opportunity to care for her and watch her as she grows. You'll witness her development firsthand, and be the first person to enjoy her personality as it becomes more pronounced. But the fiscal realities of being a stay-at-home parent may require you to work from home. This might mean telecommuting in your current job, freelancing, or creating a business you can operate from your house. For most moms and dads, doing so successfully while their little ones are near is easier said than done.

Stay-at-home working parents confront a number of obstacles to their productivity. Sometimes, relatives will drop by unannounced. Other times, managing work, caring for an infant, and taking care of chores and cooking can cause the parent's productivity to unravel. To help you plan for the experience, we'll explore a few of the most common hurdles work-at-home moms or dads face below.

Balancing Work And Family

New parents who are staying at home with their babies often find it difficult to focus on their work. On the one hand, they need to meet their deadlines. This means concentrating on the task (or tasks) at hand should remain a priority. On the other hand, the reason for staying home in the first place was to spend more time with their families. How can stay-at-home parents balance the two goals?

If you are disciplined and well-organized, you may be able to maintain an easygoing schedule while fulfilling your work-related responsibilities. If, however, you are undisciplined, you might need a stricter schedule. This may require hiring a babysitter for a few hours each day so you can focus on important projects that demand your attention.

Getting Everything Done

First, it is possible to get everything done. But doing so is much more difficult if your organizational skills are lacking. The stay-at-home moms and dads who seem to manage an insurmountable load of work - for their professions and homes - are organized. They are also willing to ask friends and family for help.

Handling your work-related tasks and household chores while still managing to spend plenty of time with your little one requires flexibility. For example, try to schedule and complete work when your baby is playing or taking a nap. Neither may last for long, but may provide sufficient time to return calls, check email, and send invoices.

Also, if your friends or family offer to watch your baby for a short time, accept their offer. Such opportunities may be rare, so it's best to take advantage of them when they appear. They can provide welcome periods of baby-free time during which to work.

Hiring (And Working With) Outside Help

At some point, you may decide to hire a babysitter so you can concentrate on your work during certain times of the day or week. For example, if you're telecommuting, you may have a phone meeting each afternoon that pulls you away from your little one. Or, you might need to spend the first two or three hours of each day working distraction-free on high-priority tasks.

Even with the help of a babysitter, some moms and dads find it practically impossible to work with their little ones within earshot. Every cry pulls their attention away, forcing them to fight the urge to respond. Other work-at-home parents find comfort in knowing their babies are nearby. They can focus on their work, knowing their little ones are receiving the care they need.

This is largely a matter of preference. If you are unable to work without peace and quiet, arrange to have someone watch your baby outside your home.

Staying home with your baby while maintaining your career is a rewarding experience you'll likely enjoy. But make sure you accommodate your needs as well as those of your little one. With organization and planning, it is possible to get everyone done while keeping a healthy balance.