I ran across the room as soon as the fax machine started making that piercing sound. After all, I had just put my cranky teething baby for a nap, so I rushed to turn off the machine. I wasn't going to let anything wake him up. I would, unfortunately have to call the client who had just been trying to reach me. I'd have to tell him to resend his fax after I remembered to turn the ringer off. This would cut into my work time a little, having to brainstorm with the client for a while, rather than taking advantage of the baby sleeping to get some work done.
What makes it hard to be a work at home mom? When I first began, it seemed like the ideal situation. I could get plenty of work done while the baby slept, and still get in plenty of quality time with the baby when he was awake. After all, the baby had to sleep, and I would easily be able to concentrate on what I needed to get done. That was good in theory, but my baby tended to be fussy and couldn't get to sleep unless I held him for a while. In addition, my main client was twice as fussy and needed long talks over the phone several times a day.
What are the pitfalls of working at home and being a mother? Not knowing who to put first, the client or the baby. The final straw came when he called me right after an extended conversation. I really had thought he was done and attended to my baby, who seemed to be feverish. Right in the middle of taking my baby's rectal temperature I heard the phone ring and the answering machine click on it was The Client, calling out, \"Hello? Are you there? We just spoke... did you go out? Hello?\" That's when I got tough.
It was my own fault that the client was taking up my time. I had to train myself to be an efficient consultant or else the same pattern would repeat with every client. My life grew much simpler when I informed my clients that I would only be working for them after 10:00 p.m. I'd be happy to take their faxes and e-mails during the day, but actual work would not begin before ten o'clock. That way my baby was down for the night (or with my husband) and I could focus on my work. This also eliminated lengthy \"while we're on the phone...\" type conversations with lonely clients.
Another area in which being a mom who works from home can be difficult is knowing how to properly manage your time. I had to set up a specific time of day that I would contact each client. That schedule also helped my clients to manage their time better, which made all of our lives easier and more focused. Since I wasn't being interrupted as often, the quality of my work increased, which in turn ended up saving the client money.
The new schedule soon became comfortable for both me and my clients. I got quite good at producing a good amount of work in a short time, and the house was better cared for because my newly developed time management skills. Everything changed, however, when the baby became a toddler. Morning naps were no longer taken, and even though his afternoon naps lasted longer, I was so worn out from chasing him around, I couldn't get anything done.
What are the pitfalls of working from home and being a mother? Trying to do everything the same way all the time. I had to train myself to mother more effectively. Outdoor play became the best option as my little one could run around in our fenced garden and blow off all the steam he wanted. This kept me from having to run behind him (as I had done in the house) picking up toys, wiping up spills, and just generally keeping him out of trouble.
I have two boys now who are teenagers. I've been working at home for 15 years, but now I mainly write and edit for a few clients. With the newer technology, I even work for people I've never met, which tends to save me a lot of money on gas. While my teenagers are much more self-sufficient, I still tend to work after they go to bed. After all, they still like to have their mother's attention, even if they are a lot bigger now
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