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Is
Working at Home a Viable Option?
by Mary Jo Wehniainen,
Virtual Success Coach
Dear Mary Jo:
I am a stay-at-home mom and have been thinking about working
from home, but I'm already so busy I can't imagine how I would fit
it in. I have a two-year old who is always home with me, and a six-year
old and eight-year old who are at school until 3 'clock. I also
have extended family in the area who seem to require a lot of my
time. Is working at home a real possibility for me?
Not sure about this in Pensacola.
Dear Unsure:
The answer to your question is absolutely yes, however, you need
to make some changes for it to work and for you to retain your sanity.
We all have twenty-four hours each day, and whether we work full-time
outside the home, part-time from home, or don't work at all, all
twenty-four hours get spent. That's what we have to work with -
period! The only thing you can control about time is how you choose
to use yours.
Most people can only handle two main "focuses" in their
life at one time. From your short note, it sounds like your focus
has been family - immediate and extended. If you do decide to work
at home or start your own business, I'm assuming your focus will
change to your immediate family and your home career. This means
you'll have to take some things off your already full "plate"!
Because you have many people who were used to you being available
all the time, you'll need to "retrain" them around your
new schedule. The word "no" needs to become a bigger part
of your vocabulary as you make decisions about what you will and
won't do. This is much easier when you keep in mind your two main
focuses: family and career. That's not to say that you'll never
have time for your extended family or other things that you do,
but you may look at accomplishing several things at once. For example,
you might invite your extended family members to do other things
with you and your children when you're not working. This way they'll
know they're important to you, and that you value their company.
At the same time, make it very clear that you're doing something
different now and won't be available at all hours.
If you've been heavily involved in extra-curricula activities or
other organizations, you will probably have to make some adjustments
there as well. You need to let go of some things, or the extra money
you earn from home may not even be worth the effort. The goal is
to live a balanced life, and you can't be all things to all people!
Set your work hours around your immediate family's schedule, and
then fit in the other things you've chosen to do. I'm sure you'll
figure out the details that are right for you in your particular
situation. The main thing to keep in mind is "What am I going
to let go of in order to spend X number of hours working?"
Be creative in your scheduling, and make sure you let the people
around you in on the game plan. The real fun is about to begin!
Taming the Monster
Dear Mary Jo:
I left my full time job several years ago so I could be home
with my three small children. I began a network marketing business
and have had a tremendous amount of success. My challenge is that
even though I'm home all the time, it seems I never have time for
my children. I'm afraid I've created a monster, and have hundreds
of distributors looking for my help every week. I feel like I'm
letting my children down. Any suggestions?
Concerned in Salt Lake City
Dear Concerned:
I could have written the identical note when I was in the same
situation a couple of years ago. (The only difference is that I
have FIVE children!) I want you to know there is a way you can do
both things, but you'll need to make some major changes.
Here are some ideas that should make a big difference:
1. Delegate whatever you can. Give the members of your group
the opportunity to take on more responsibility. I'm sure you have
people who can conduct trainings, arrange meetings, etc. Hire someone
to help you around the house, and spend that time with your children.
If you have a lot of "office" work, it may be time to
get a virtual assistant. She can take care of so many things for
you, and the geographical location isn't even a factor. For more
information on what a virtual assistant does or how you can find
one, go to http://www.assistu.com.
2. Say no to anything that doesn't directly affect your two
main areas of focus - family and business. Be very careful about
what you commit to from this point on. At the same time, taking
very good care of yourself directly impacts both of these areas,
so make sure that's included in your schedule.
3. Spend your time wisely and set appropriate boundaries.
If you track your time for a week, I bet you'll see some patterns
emerge. You may be spending too much time on the telephone, handling
e-mails, coordinating details of meetings, etc. Decide what you
can eliminate, delegate or streamline. Spend your time on "income
producing" activities that only you can do.
Make a decision about when you won't work. You need to do this
so you and your children know when you'll be "all theirs".
I began taking off Fridays, and figured out ways to become more
productive the other days of the week. My kids love knowing that
on Friday we'll have fun, and it's much easier for them to be patient
when I'm working.
4. Hire a coach. Sometimes you need to work with someone
"outside" your situation who can easily spot your strong
points, see how you're wasting your time, and help you get on the
right track. When I was almost totally overwhelmed juggling the
responsibilities of my business and my children, I hired my own
personal coach. It was through that relationship that I became much
more focused, was able to let go of things that I really didn't
need to be doing, created time for my family, and eventually ended
up branching off into my "coaching" career. Now I am able
to handle both businesses and spend more time with my children than
ever before.
Once you begin working on these areas, you'll see other things
you can change along the way. You definitely can be a successful
businesswoman and great mom at the same time, just work "smart"
and follow your heart. Don't miss out on your children's lives ..they're
way too valuable!
Wishing you all the best,
Mary Jo Wehniainen
Your Virtual Success Coach
"Helping Ordinary People Create Extraordinary Lives"
If you would like to get
more specific strategies, tips and ideas on how you can make changes
that really count in your life, visit www.virtualsuccesscoach.com
and subscribe to Mary Jo's free monthly e-newsletter entitled "Creating
the Life You Love."
Copyright 2004
by Mary Jo Wehniainen.
Reproduction without permission prohibited.
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