Community Corner
Moms Talk Q&A: How Do Work-at-Home Moms Juggle It All?
We want to hear from you! Participate in this week's installment of Moms Talk Q&A.
In Moms Talk Q&A, we often discuss the hectic schedules of stay-at-home moms (SAHM) as well as working moms.
But rarely do we ever discuss the work-at-home moms (WAHM).
This term has become more popular over the past 10 years or so. Many families cannot survive on just one income, but still want to provide their own childcare and support.
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And thanks to the Internet, holding a WAHM job title has become possible for many mothers across the country.
As many of you know, I am a blogger. Through blogging, I've met many fabulous women who either have monetized their blogs, or have made a career out of social media.
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The best part about their jobs? They can do it all from the comfort of their own homes, not missing a moment of their child's lives.
The WAHM existence can go two very different ways.
When I try to accomplish anything for work or school at home, I rarely get anything done. The laundry is calling my name. I hear my husband talking about an interesting topic over the phone. My son finds my hiding spot and wants to play with me. It never seems to work out.
I always have to leave my home to accomplish anything work- or school-related. That being said, I give major kudos to the WAHM community.
How do they do it? I had to find out. I interviewed two lovely WAHM's I'd met through Philly Social Media Moms (PSMM), and through my personal blog Running On Empty Mommy. Philly Social Media Moms is a social network of mom bloggers in the greater Philadelphia area.
I am here to dish their greatest secrets for balancing the roles of mother, wife, and businesswoman—with rarely ever leaving their homes.
- Interview with Sheila Hill, who runs the Pieces of a Mom blog—which serves as a family scrapbook of trips, events in her family’s lives, and occasionally a giveaway or two. Hill is the regional Monmouth County editor for Jersey Bites, and contributing blogger for Meridian Momtourage. Hill is a mother of two girls, aged five and nine.
Describe your daily schedule as a work-at-home mom:
"I wake at 6:45 a.m., and focus on my children until they leave for school at 8:15 a.m. During that time, I do not check my computer or my phone. Just as I need to keep distractions at a minimum when I am working, I also need to keep them at a minimum when I am taking care of my family. Setting priorities is a key to being a successful WAHM.
From 8:15 a.m. until 10 a.m., I usually hit the gym, shower, and dress for the day.
From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., I work on articles and research for the sites for which I write. I also devote time to maintaining my personal brand and blog. This includes responding to email messages, maintaining Facebook pages for social media clients as well as my blog Facebook page, maintaining a personal Twitter account, a YouTube channel, a Google+ account, and working on campaigns for several businesses to blogger sites.
From 1 p.m. to 1:45 p.m., it's a quick lunch or Starbucks break!
Between 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m., my daughters will get off the bus, and I help them with homework, or drive them to and from activities.From 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., I cook dinner and eat with my family.
From 7 p.m. to 8 p.m., it's bath time and bedtime for the girls.
Between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m., I'll catch up on Twitter and Facebook one last time.
I'll spend an uninterrupted two hours with my husband between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m.
And by 11 p.m., it's usually bedtime. But if I have a deadline, I may spend another hour or two working to meet it.”
What is the biggest challenge of being a WAHM?
“The lines between work and home often blur. I am challenged on a daily basis with trying to manage my family's expectations of me, managing my distractions (laundry, cleaning, etc.), and meeting my deadlines.”
Would you recommend the WAHM profession to other women?
“It's not for everyone. I've found that it requires a lot of discipline and self-motivation. If you need to be micro-managed, the WAHM profession is not going to work in your favor. You must be a self-starter who has the ability to effectively budget your time and manage yourself.”
- Interview with Tina Seitzinger, a WAHM who owns LWP Media, LLC, where she helps small businesses and organizations use online tools to effectively build relationships, strengthen brands, and create a strong online presence. She co-owns Girls' Lunch Out (GLO), a social media network for women. Seitzinger also runs a mom-centered blog about raising two boys, called Life Without Pink.
What are the benefits of being a WAHM?
"I love that I am able to stay home with my boys, and that fact that I can be there my when my 5-year-old gets off the bus. Another benefit is that I get to stay in my pajamas all day if I want!"
Is your husband able to help you on a daily basis, or is the brunt of the work on you?
"My husband works a lot of overtime hours, and most nights he's just getting home when I'm putting the kids to bed. But from the moment he gets home, he jumps right in. I cook, and he does dishes while I give the boys a bath. We always do bedtime together. The four of us will sit on the floor and read books together and then tuck the boys in. That's our time as a family. My husband is very supportive of my work and always helps when he can. I've even caught him folding laundry for me—now that's love!"
Both of these women are self-disciplined, work-at-home mothers, and it seems their advice is similar. You must be organized and have strong self-motivation, in order to be a successful careerwoman from the comfort of your own home.
This is where I'm reaching out to our Collingswood Patch readers:
Are you a WAHM? How do you organize your daily routine?
If you are a WAHM, do you have any advice—besides what Seitzinger and Hill offered—for women who are considering taking on that role?
If you currently work outside the home, would you ever consider working from home, if given the opportunity? Why or why not?
We love to hear from you! Comment in the box below, and let's start the talk.