Mastering Work-from-Home: Strategies for Moms to Stay Sane and Productive

One amazing thing that came from Covid was the ability to work from home and the continued ability to do so four years later. Thankfully, some companies got the memo that they could treat their employees like the adults they are and they no longer needed to micromanage them. 

What a novel idea to give employees autonomy and freedom to throw a load of laundry in the washer in between work tasks and they can still be productive and happy employees. The only annoying coworker you have to worry about now is the dog snoozing beside you…cuz why would they leave your side? 

While working from home has its perks, it also has its drawbacks. Let’s take a look at some of the issues that I’m hearing about from my work-from-home Mamas.

Who Am I?

Hi! I’m MacKenzie, your Self-Care Mompanion. I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and owner of Follow Your Arrow Counseling, LLC. I work with Moms and Therapist Moms who are stressed out, overwhelmed and not taking care of themselves as well as they take care of everyone else. I speak from experience as I’m a Mom, too.

Being a Mom is hard. There are some days I really don’t like it, to be honest. There are days I don’t like having to deal with some of the parts of motherhood…like being blamed for everything, ignored and not being appreciated. Thank goodness there are other moments when my daughter tells me I’m her best friend that make up for all the crappy moments.

Stick around and join me as we walk this road of motherhood together. It truly takes a village to raise our kids… and maintain our sanity.

The Ups and Downs of Parenting

Mom Guilt 

You’re no longer worried about making sure you have a no-penalty pump break or taking too much PTO when your kiddos are sick. Nope. Now the worry has become “Am I working too much? Am I missing anything?”

If you’re asking these questions, my guess is the answer is no. The difficulty has been that while the kids were home during Covid, things went fine. And now they’re still home (most likely because summer break just started) because who doesn’t love the extra money you’re saving from not having daycare or preschool expenses. 

And hearing your kiddos laughing or crying is stressing you out. You feel like you’re missing out on things with them. You can’t concentrate on anything because you have one ear listening for them. When you’re working you’re wondering about the kids; when you’re with the kids you’re wondering if you got enough done today. Some days it feels like you can’t win.

Tips & Tricks: 

• Noise machine. Put a noise machine outside of your door. Train your partner and/or kids that when that is on, you are not to be disturbed.

• Sign on the door. If your kiddos are of reading age, a sign may be sufficient. The area where your office is needs to be off limits for anyone and everyone except for you. It needs to be like you are out of the house working.

• Send the kids to daycare or out of the house a couple days a week with a caregiver. As great as it is to have the extra money, is it really worth how you’re feeling? Your frustration and anxiety levels continue to increase…your anxiety is loving the material to use against you, but it’s not worth it for anyone in your family to continue like this.

Lack of “Me” time

Sounds kind of crazy, huh? Working from home is the best of both worlds! Until it isn’t.

When you worked outside the home, you had a commute. No matter how long or how short, it was still a commute. The traffic may have sucked but you still got time to yourself. You could call your Bestie, sit in total silence or give Tay-Tay a run for her money with singing at the top of your lungs. The five steps it takes to get out of your home “office” is NOT a commute. 

I repeat. It is NOT a commute.

Over the last four years I’ve been strongly encouraging my Mom clients to take their ‘commute’ after their work day is through. Chill for a few minutes and do something mindless. Whether that’s scrolling on your phone, reading a chapter in a good book, a 20 minute power nap or meditating…do something to shift your mind from work to home. If your commute was long, then cut it down a bit. As long as it’s more than 10 minutes, take some time to shift focus. 

If the kids are knocking at the door right at quitting time, you’re going to need to tell them that Mommy is taking a few minutes to herself after work so she doesn’t lose her ever-loving mind. (Just kidding on that last part…kinda. At least don’t say that part out loud.) Then when you do get back into Mom mode, you’re less stressed, you have patience and you can fully focus on being home. 

Tips & Tricks:

• If your home office is in your bedroom or a shared space with the family, change the look of the space immediately when you’re done working (to the best of your abilities). You need to be able to “close” the office door and pretend that room doesn’t exist when the work day is over. Seeing your computer sitting on the desk in your bedroom is just a reminder that you didn’t get that report done today or you didn’t have a chance to email so and so. You’re never able to turn it off. I just had a conversation with one of my moms recently and we came up with this way to trick her mind by putting her work papers, files and computer in a decorative box under the desk and putting up family pictures after her work is complete for the day. Then when she walks into her bedroom later, she’s not reminded of all she didn’t get done today. 

• It’s time for some gentle, but real talk. Really think about who this arrangement is benefitting. You’re crabby after work, the kids are being told they can’t see Mommy even though they know darn well you’re right on the other side of that door. Your anxiety is at an all-time hight…what’s the win here? 

You may have reasons why you can’t do the suggestions made above. I get it. Everyone’s situation is different. But if you have the means to make any of these changes, do it. Everyone will adjust, including you. 

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to work from home. It’s just not all that healthy for certain personality types. I know that I could no longer be at home. Even though I loved being at home with my daughter and husband, I was going insane. I needed to get back to shared energy of being in the same space as others. Some days my office becomes my safe space, a refuge when things are rocky at home.

I hope that with some slight tweaks, working from home can return to being the great experience you want it to be. I hope you’re able to get back to leaving work at work so you can be fully present and enjoy motherhood.