Best Practices for Working Remotely from a “WAHM”

by Mom Corps NYC on March 23, 2011

Jill Seiman is the founder of High Line Media, a social media marketing and special events consulting firm and chronicles her attempts at maintaining the “glam” after mothermood on her blog Glamamom.

I recently became a “work-at-home mom.”  The title has it’s own acronym: “WAHM.” I never anticipated being classified by an acronym but then again, very little about motherhood has been predictable.

The transition from working in a behemoth midtown office building with a receptionist to sign for my packages and assistants to keep me organized and on time, to my itty bitty New York City apartment has gone as well as I could have expected but isn’t without it’s challenges.  I’m thrilled to be in close proximity to my son and dog (yes the dog too, he’s my first baby) but apartment living is tough enough without sectioning off a “home office.”  I tried to do as much research as possible  prior to making the move by reaching out to friends and colleagues that telecommute to get their recommendations for a successful strategy.

Dedicate a Work Space & Stay Organized: The first thing I did was to set myself up with a desk and a printer, and dedicate some closet space for file storage. At night, I’d often work at the dining room table or on in the living room but during the day I knew my son would be coming in and out, so I set up shop an a less distracting area. If you don’t have children, you obviously don’t have to worry about the pitter-patter of little feet all day but you can just as easily get distracted working in the living room with a television or by a window with street noise.  Find a conducive space (even if it’s a little one) and keep it clutter free and inviting.  I also invested in a comfortable chair and an all-in-one printer that has a copier, scanner, etc. so that I have everything I need to telecommute and also be as paper free and organized as possible.

Stick to a Routine: Despite the fact that no one would really know whether I was dressed in a suit or pjs, sitting in a desk chair or lying in bed, I get up at the same time every day and prepare for my day as if I were headed into the office.  I watch the Today Show while I’m getting ready but turn it off to begin work when my babysitter arrives.  I highly recommend setting a start time, end time, and most importantly, scheduling breaks.  I can get easily distracted by dishes in the sink but conversely, I get carried away with working non-stop sometimes.  It’s equally important to take breaks and recharge, which enhances overall productivity.  Working alone at home can also be isolating so I try my best to schedule coffee or lunch breaks with friends and colleagues as often as possible and go for walk at least once a day to clear my head.

Establish Expectations With Your Employer: Establish your hours and availability up front with your employer/clients so that they understand how and when they can reach you.  While many employers claim to support flexible work arrangements, in practice, it can be a different story.  Unfortunately, out of sight can mean out of mind.  Make sure your agreement is clearly defined and that you have ample time each week to communicate your accomplishments or provide a “status update” with your team/colleagues.  If an actual office exists, try to pop in every once and awhile to get some face time.

Always Remember the Reason(s) You Chose Non Traditional Employment in the First Place: I can be hard on myself when I get distracted or become frustrated when my son’s laughter (or crying) takes me off course.  But then I remember the reason I wanted to work at home in the first place: to have flexibility and control of my schedule, and to spend more time with my son, while simultaneously pursuing my career goals.  Recounting my goals always helps put things in perspective and makes me realize how fortunate I am to work from home, even though my new office-mate is a short, red-head named Elmo.

What challenges, if any, have you faced working from home?  What’s your best advice for being productive?

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