The One Secret Women Need to Work at Home
(And it’s Free!)
By Kathy Wilson
So many women want to start working at home these days, but can’t seem to find the time or the money to do it. I have been lucky enough to be a stay at home mom for my 5 kids and 3 step kids for over 20 years, and I started a successful online business at TheBudgetDecorator.com, wrote a book, started 5 more websites and became a freelance writer...and I am here to tell you the secret to getting it all done. Organize.
I know, organize seems like a dirty word to most of us. I wasn’t born organized, and neither must you be! But getting yourself organized is the best way to stay on track of your goals, grow your business, take care of your family and keep yourself sane. And not only is it easy to do, it’s free!
First if all, find yourself an old 3 ring binder; this will be your organizing home base. Nothing fancy... just a place to keep all your household and business tasks together, since most women who work at home must juggle both responsibilities at once. Now visit a site that offers free organizational printables, such as our printable page at http://www.women-on-the-net.com/free_printables.html. Set aside a little time to set up your organizational binder, and print out at least a month worth of copies of each printable that applies to you. For my lifestyle, I need menus, shopping lists, daily, weekly and monthly to do lists, calendar and business plan. (Keeping that business plan with your dreams handy keeps you from chucking it all out the window on those less than perfect days.:))
Some women like to use a divider and separate the business from the home tasks, but I like to keep them together, because in my house, they never get separated.
Spend a little time each weekend planning out your following week. List goals for the business and the home, and then break them up into smaller chunks throughout the week. Make sure you have a menu so you know exactly what you’re cooking for dinner, and also a home chore chart so you can take 30 minutes to keep up on your housekeeping. (Or to direct your kids to their chores when they get home from school!) Be sure to list family time as well, whether that’s movie night, reading stories or doing home work together, or just taking a walk. Finally, make sure you have at least 15-30 minutes a day set aside for just you. If you don’t take care of you, you are no good to anyone else, including your clients or customers!
Sounds simple doesn’t it? It is, and remember, no one is perfect, and you will rarely cross everything off all your lists each week, and that’s ok. Having a blueprint for how you spend your time makes you more efficient, more goal oriented and eliminates the guilt of not feeling like you are spending enough time doing the family thing. (Don’t forget, you started a business for all of you!)
If you are just thinking about starting a business, or have been at it awhile, this little secret will take you from struggling to success. Simple, beneficial and free!
