10 Time Management Tips for WAHMs

Working from home, being your own boss and keeping your own hours. It's a dream of the many and the realisation of the few.

I come across people on a daily basis who have given up or are on the verge of giving up their dream. The most common excuse I hear is a lack of time. Please, excuse my bluntness here but I have to tell you, this excuse does not sit well with me when I'm constantly getting updates on your Candy Crush high score.

Believe me, I have heard just about every excuse to why a viable home business just won't work and I've used a lot of them myself: Time, kids, money, lack of support..... never once did I blame my lack of self belief and motivation for the failed productivity within my own business.

Time is not going to just present itself, you have to seek it out and make it yours. Unless you are willing to commit to your home business, you can not expect to succeed.

1. Get organised.

Working at home can clutter up your mind. The ever growing to do list can seem overwhelming and attempting it all is a recipe for disaster.

Prioritise work and home tasks and simplify wherever possible. Meal plans and daily laundry routines can save you time and allow you to focus on other things.

Try to enter each day with a list of tasks you wish to achieve and reward yourself as each one is ticked off.

2. Complete your most important tasks first.

Each day, identify the two or three tasks that are the most crucial to complete, and do those first.

3. Are you really networking?

Be mindful of how productive the time you spend on social media is.

We all do it! One minute you're a woman on a mission and the next thing you know you're sharing another cute kitty meme and debating child vaccinations.

Allow yourself a separate time slot for social engagement and use the save feature for anything you want to view later.

2. Focus on the task at hand.

Turn off all distractions like the TV and phone. Close any unrelated tabs in your browser and turn off all message notifications.

5. Don't dwell on unimportant details.

Getting hung up on small details can allow projects to take longer than they should.

Get the bulk completed, and revise things afterward.

6. Make important tasks every day habits.

In any business, there are must do's. Whether it's daily, weekly or monthly tasks, these are the things your business can not do without. Identify them and make them part of your daily routine.

7. Make deadlines and stick to them.

Who's the boss? You are!

Setting yourself goals and time limits will push you a little harder to achieve more in less time.

8. Talk to successful WAHM's.

Believe it or not, successful work at home mums are very approachable. This makes sense when you understand that personal connections are the stepping stones to success. Most are more than happy to share their tips with others but beware, the key ingredients of their success will always be hard work and dedication.

9. Clear your mind, look after your body.

Move, just move. Go for a walk, the gym, the park, dust off the Wii fit, it doesn't matter how you move, just do it! Give your brain a rest and let your body do some work. You'll be surprised how much motivation this can give you.

10. Remember why you're here!

This was always about being home for the kids right?

Switch off work mode. Set aside time to play with and talk your children.

If you're finding your work is taking you away from your goal, it's time to rethink your priority list.