How To Get More Organized For More Efficiency For Work At Home Moms
Working from home - sniggers accompanied by a roll of the eye; is the common response to that statement.
However, for working mums, the opposite tends to be true; queens of multi-task, the list of achievements allocated to a day of working from home seems to be endless.
The questions then becomes "how productive was that time in regards to work"? We all know the lists of tasks we have as working mums are endless.
How tempting is it then, when the work collides with the home, to treat both aspects as top priorities on our to-do lists.
Here are four top tips to get organised to work more efficiently whilst still maintaining your work life balance 1.
Use the grid.
In Stephen Covey's 'Seven Habits of Highly Effective People' book, he provides a prioritisation grid.
This is a great tool to use to organise your 'things to do' list before you get started for the day.
It consists of a grid made up of two lines.
The one running horizontally scales urgent to non-urgent; the vertical line scales important to non-important.
Every one of your days tasks will fit inside one of the four created boxes.
By focusing more on the important, urgent tasks and not being distracted by the urgent, non - important tasks, your work day will become increasingly more efficient.
You will always be tempted to spend time in box 4 (non-important/non-urgent) but the trick is to challenge yourself on the real value of wasting valuable resource here.
2.
Reward yourself.
It is all too easy, contrary to popular belief, to work all day from home without a rest.
Stop occasionally, have something to eat, buy something online.
Set yourself targets to achieve before you can do this (the shopping that is- you are entitled to eat whenever you are hungry!) 3.
A change is as good as a rest.
When you feel like you need a break, switch tasks instead occasionally.
Change to something completely different that requires a new skill set and approach.
You'll be amazed at how quickly your brain responds to this change of pace and tempo and the need for breaks throughout the day will be lessened.
Leaving you, as a busy working mum, able to achieve all that you set out to do.
4.
Designate switch off times.
This is the relationship breaker for the 'work from home mum'.
It is all too easy to leave the computer on throughout the evening, especially since the advent of smartphones, we feel the need to respond immediately to all requests.
Although this may feel like working efficiently, by picking off tasks before the start of the next working day, it can be really detrimental.
This is the arena in which mistakes and rash decisions are made by working mothers: you are attempting to get the dinner on, pack tomorrow's lunches, and answer a stream of questions from a small child simultaneously! You are also ensuring that there is no life/work divide - a sure way to ensure resenting the work aspect and becoming less and less efficient during work hours.
Set a time when the computer and phone get switched off and stick to it! Once you put these tips into effect, you are sure to find your work life and home life more productive.
However, for working mums, the opposite tends to be true; queens of multi-task, the list of achievements allocated to a day of working from home seems to be endless.
The questions then becomes "how productive was that time in regards to work"? We all know the lists of tasks we have as working mums are endless.
How tempting is it then, when the work collides with the home, to treat both aspects as top priorities on our to-do lists.
Here are four top tips to get organised to work more efficiently whilst still maintaining your work life balance 1.
Use the grid.
In Stephen Covey's 'Seven Habits of Highly Effective People' book, he provides a prioritisation grid.
This is a great tool to use to organise your 'things to do' list before you get started for the day.
It consists of a grid made up of two lines.
The one running horizontally scales urgent to non-urgent; the vertical line scales important to non-important.
Every one of your days tasks will fit inside one of the four created boxes.
By focusing more on the important, urgent tasks and not being distracted by the urgent, non - important tasks, your work day will become increasingly more efficient.
You will always be tempted to spend time in box 4 (non-important/non-urgent) but the trick is to challenge yourself on the real value of wasting valuable resource here.
2.
Reward yourself.
It is all too easy, contrary to popular belief, to work all day from home without a rest.
Stop occasionally, have something to eat, buy something online.
Set yourself targets to achieve before you can do this (the shopping that is- you are entitled to eat whenever you are hungry!) 3.
A change is as good as a rest.
When you feel like you need a break, switch tasks instead occasionally.
Change to something completely different that requires a new skill set and approach.
You'll be amazed at how quickly your brain responds to this change of pace and tempo and the need for breaks throughout the day will be lessened.
Leaving you, as a busy working mum, able to achieve all that you set out to do.
4.
Designate switch off times.
This is the relationship breaker for the 'work from home mum'.
It is all too easy to leave the computer on throughout the evening, especially since the advent of smartphones, we feel the need to respond immediately to all requests.
Although this may feel like working efficiently, by picking off tasks before the start of the next working day, it can be really detrimental.
This is the arena in which mistakes and rash decisions are made by working mothers: you are attempting to get the dinner on, pack tomorrow's lunches, and answer a stream of questions from a small child simultaneously! You are also ensuring that there is no life/work divide - a sure way to ensure resenting the work aspect and becoming less and less efficient during work hours.
Set a time when the computer and phone get switched off and stick to it! Once you put these tips into effect, you are sure to find your work life and home life more productive.
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