Doing It All: How To Manage Your Productivity And Focus As A Work At Home Mom

Between diapers, dinner, and laundry, life is busy for any mom.

Add in a business or job that you do from home and things can get downright crazy.

Being a work at home mom can be overwhelming at times, especially when you have little ones to care for. Check out these ten fantastic productivity hacks that you have to try.

1. Time Blocking

Time blocking can be a game changer for everyone, but especially for work from home moms. Block off time for such tasks as:

• checking and replying to emails
• content creation
• phone calls
• social media posting

Not sure where to start? Spend a few days to take note of how you spend your time. Include everything from sleep, meals, and Facebook scrolling. This will give you an idea of how you spend your time and how much time most tasks take.

2. Mix Things Up

If you have the opportunity to get out of the house, do it. Go to your local library and let the kids play. Sneak away to Starbucks when your partner is with the kiddos. Go to a park or simply work from your back porch.

Mixing things up and getting a change of scenery can boost productivity and creativity. This is definitely one of those necessary things to do as a stay at home mom.

3. Just Say No!

Between the PTA, family events, and neighboorhood functions, your dance card is probably pretty full. Learning to say no to certain things is one of the most important stay at home mom tips.

4. Unplug

Sometimes you just have to unplug. Turn off your phone. Stop scrolling through social media. Stop answering every email as it comes through.

When you unplug from certain things, you'll find yourself less distracted. Fewer distractions equal more productivity.

5. Make Self Care a Priority

Want to know how to be a successful stay at home mom and run your business? Make self care a priority. And no, we're not talking manicures and pedicures, although that's not off the table.

Self-care is about taking care of yourself so that you can be happy and productive in all aspects of your life. A few examples of self-care include:

• meditation
• quiet time to yourself
• reading your favorite books
• taking a walk

It doesn't have to cost money to make yourself a priority. Remember: when mommy is happy, everyone's happy.

6. Get Ready

One of the benefits of staying home is being able to be in your pajamas or yoga pants all day. However, sometimes, you may want to get ready for the day as if you were going to a physical office outside the home. Fixing your hair and makeup can make you feel so much better and more productive.

7. Take Breaks

A challenge of working from home is not having scheduled breaks. When you're in an office, you typically have set breaks that you take every day. At home, the whole day can run together very easily.

It's important to take random breaks throughout the day. Take a break to have lunch instead of eating over your computer. Take breaks to go out and play with the kiddos or workout. These timeouts can make a huge difference in your productivity and have you coming back with a fresh outlook.

8. Have a Plan

Creating a stay at home mom schedule can boost your productivity. Each night, sit down and make a plan for the next day. What things do you need to get done? "Eat the frog" first thing each morning so that you at least know you have the most important tasks completed.

Keep in mind that things will come up. Kids will get sick. The dishwasher may mess up. Things will happen to put a kink in your plans. Having an actual schedule will let you know where you can pick back up later rather than leaving you wondering.

9. Feed Your Brain

You may be thinking, "how in the heck do I feed my brain?" This can be different things, but the main idea is to take care of your mind.

This can be having a positive mindset. When you can tackle your tasks with a positive mindset, you're more likely to be successful and get things done in a timely manner.

Sometimes, this may mean using supplements to improve your brain function.

10. Ask for Help

Asking for help is a difficult task for all moms whether you're a work from home mom or not. However, it's vital that you learn to ask for help when you need it.

This could be asking your spouse to help with different chores in the house so you can get work done. Maybe you can ask a family member to sit with the little ones so you can meet a deadline. Perhaps you should consider joining a moms morning out at a nearby church.

Asking for help isn't a sign of weakness. You can get more things done when you reach out to loved ones for assistance.

What Are Your Favorite Work at Home Mom Hacks?

Being a work at home mom comes with its own unique set of challenges. Your tiny coworkers can be demanding and sick days are usually nonexistent. However, if you have a dream or a goal that you want to meet, you will find a way to make it happen.

Written by LouAnn Moss for The Healthy Moms Magazine and legally licensed through the Matcha publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@getmatcha.com.