10 Top Most Effective Tips for Work from Home Moms to be productive

How do moms work from home? The same way any one else would but probably with a lot more distractions in the form of kids running around or crying and/or other vital family-related activities to fit into the day. This article will walk you through some important work from home mom tips to help you be more productive.

Is working from home better for moms?

Not necessarily. It really depends on the mom’s personality and preferences when it comes to the work environment. 

Some moms work better in formal work environments. Moms like this will find that they are less productive working from home even if they make their home working environment as corporate as possible.

There are other moms who find that their productivity is much higher when they work from home. This could be because they know how to work well from different environments and actually have fewer distractions for longer stretches of time when working at home.

Work from home mom struggles can seem to abound but there are ways to make it work and we will look at some of those ways in this article. 

How to work from home with a newborn

Working from home with an infant takes a little strategizing and some good old fashioned attachment techniques.

1. Work around nap schedules

The lucky thing about having a newborn when you are working is that you can schedule power stretches of work around baby’s naps. The typical newborn naps anywhere from four to six times a day or more. Of course, the duration of the nap depends on your newborn but generally, you can expect them to drop off to sleep frequently throughout the day.

One of the best work from home mom tips you can utilize when you have a newborn is to work when they are napping. Focus fully on completing specific tasks during their nap times when you have no distractions.

If you’re like me though, despite having work, you might also be in severe need of sleep in order to function. Power through some work during one nap and then have a power nap with your newborn the next time you put them down. Alternate.

2. Take play breaks

You do not want the newborn days to fly by without you getting to really enjoy any of it. The snuggles, the little giggles, the first real smile even. Take short play breaks throughout your work day to play with your newborn. 

It is also very helpful in avoiding that mom guilt that almost inevitably creeps up in most working moms’ lives.

3. Be selective

Whether you are working for yourself or as an employee, it is important for you to be selective when you are working from home as a mom. You do not have to attend ten meetings a day or make all twenty of those calls this afternoon. Get good at choosing what is most important for you to address each work day.

This is one of those important work from home mom tips that is useful for anyone who ever feels any sense of overwhelm at work.

4. Dress the part

Before you start your work day, dress for it. That helps to put you in a work mind frame despite the fact that you have a tiny human relying on you.

5. Wear your baby

Working from home with an infant will be especially tiring if they are the kind who want to be attached to you all day long in order to sleep. Now, I do not know about you but my first child was one of those and I do not know that many newborns who are perfectly happy to be separated from their mothers for any prolonged period of time. That is why I recommend baby wearing so much.

READ: The awesome benefits of baby-wearing

Get a baby carrier or a comfortable baby wrap for some peace of mind. For those times when your newborn just will not settle on their own (and for some newborns that might be all the time), it is a relief for both of you to be able to simply attach them to yourself and get on with the work that you need to do. It will also often help them sleep for longer periods and therefore give you more time to get more work done.

Enjoy being able to carry them around for long periods while they are this tiny because soon they will be too big for your back to bear that! Once they get to the toddler stage, you have to figure out other ways to keep them close!

Is it possible to work from home with a toddler?

Yes. As it goes with most things in motherhood, you make things work as best as you can. WFH with a toddler is possible. Complaints about working from home mom struggles very unsurprisingly often come from moms with toddlers. As with a newborn, you have to be strategic about it and not expect too much from either yourself or your toddler. After all, you are both just human. 

Here are some things to try to remain productive when working from home with a toddler. 

5 Simple Ways to work from home with a toddler

1. Screen time

I know. I know. The oh so controversial screens. What a horror. 

Well sometimes, they become necessary. Make this your last resort if you like but they can be your saving grace if, for example, you need to hop on an important phone call and cannot be distracted or bothered for 15 minutes or more. 

Make sure you have your toddlers favourite shows queued up so that they won’t require you to search for anything for them. 

2. Take play breaks

Just as you would with a newborn, you need to take time out of your day to enjoy your kid too. It is even more important with a toddler or preschooler as they will most likely be waiting on the time that they can have your undivided attention anyway. 

They will also find it easier to give you some space if you can just dedicate a chunk of time to spend with them. A chunk can be as short as ten minutes as long as it is for them only. Play a game with them. Watch a show with them. Do some colouring with them. 

3. Colouring 

Speaking of colouring, this is one of the most soothing activities you can set up for your toddler. It will give them a chance to get lost in something and you a chance to focus on work for a period of time. 

PRINT: Print out my set of themed colouring sheets here for your toddler. 

4. Prioritize 

What is it that you absolutely must get done before the end of the work day? Those are your top priorities and the things that make you get your toddler to do some colouring or have some screen time.

5. Get help

Toddlers, like adults, can be unpredictable. There are phases where they can decide that nothing you do for and with them will placate them. There are times when they decide that they want to be attached to you all day and you realize that you are struggling to get any work done.

At times like this, and if you can foresee that type of behaviour becoming a daily trend, seek help. It could be asking your partner to take over watching your child at specific times during the day so that you blitz through your work. 

It could also be, if you can afford it, employing a babysitter to watch your toddler at home so that you can lock yourself away to work.

READ: What stay at home moms do all day

10 Must-haves to help you work from home as a mom

Disclaimer: At no additional cost to you, I may gain a tiny commission from any purchases made through links on this page.

1. Sit-stand desk. Remaining as mobile as possible while working will keep from getting tired too quickly. It is good for your back to be able to sit and stand frequently.

2. Snack bar. Create a little snack bar with as many healthy treats and fruits as you can rustle up. Yes, sure, for you. Particularly if you are working with a newborn. However, if you have a toddler, you will need those snacks quite desperately as part of what keeps them occupied. They burn energy so fast, it is no surprise that they seem to want things to munch on all the time.

3. Nursing pillow. If you’re breastfeeding, then getting a nursing pillow is one of those work from home mom tips that you’ve probably been given before. It is helpful for working from home with an infant as well as it is a good place to nurse your tiny newborn on your lap and still have free hands to write or type, for example.

4. Baby carrier or baby wrap. Again, this facilitates free hands when working from home with an infant.

5. Ergonomic chair. Having an ergonomic chair is important to ensure that you are reducing stress on your upper body. With kids, particularly young kids, your body is already under different kinds of stress and you do not need your work chair to worsen any of that.

6. Wireless headset with mic. You can see a trend here, I know. It is just so much easier to have your hands free as much as possible. Using a wireless headset rather than your phone is a good idea.

7. Post-it notes. Every time you have a thought of something about work that you cannot immediately address because you are tending to your baby or toddler, quickly scribble it on a physical sticky note and stick it anywhere in your office. 

8. Large computer monitors. Putting as little strain on all parts of your body is vital and that includes your eyes. Get large monitors to attach to your laptop or desktop computer to make sure that you are not straining your eyes to look at small screens. Having multiple screens is also helpful for making sure your wrist and fingers are not constantly having to switch between different tabs on your single computer screen.

9. Baby rocker or swing. Got an infant? This one is key. They will appreciate the motion to help them get to sleep and you can place it close to you in your workspace so that you can keep an eye on them both when they are awake and when they are asleep.

10. Vertical wireless mouse. This helps to reduce the stress on your wrist and fingers. It is more comfortable to use once you get used to it. 

I hope these work from home mom tips are helpful for you!