So you’ve tried to work from home with a baby. Or maybe you’re thinking about giving it a go, you just don’t know how to go about it or what works for all the stay-at-home mom entrepreneurs you see killing it on Instagram or YouTube. Like how are other moms who stay-at-home able to balance business life with a baby?
At times you may feel like some parts you have more under control, while the other parts —- like taking an important call or meeting—- you’re seriously struggling with what to do to keep your little one entertained.
Been there. Done that.
But no worries. If you’re looking for ways to structure your days to accommodate both your career and motherhood, then as you’ll find in this post, I’m revealing a few tried and true ways that have worked for me as a stay-at-home mom entrepreneur.
How to balance business with a baby
A day in the life as a work from home mom
If you are anything like me, then the bulk of your days are probably divided between entertaining your little one and getting work done (housework included). A typical workday in the life as a stay-at-home mom entrepreneur for me often looks like taking client calls, marketing my business, and creating content for me and my clients — usually around my baby’s sleep schedule.
I decided to start a business a few years before becoming a mom. Thankfully as a freelancer, the majority of work I need to do in my business is flexible and can be done at any time of day or night. For example, social media marketing can be scheduled out in advance and when I need to create content for me and my clients, it’s something that can be done on the go as the idea comes at any time of day— which I enjoy.
Client meetings, on the other hand, are time-sensitive in the sense that it’s the only type of work that requires me to be available during reasonable working hours. Sometimes those hours aren’t when my baby’s sleeping, which brings its own set of challenges. And whenever that happens, I have to figure out a plan for what I am going to do.
Here’s a list of ideas to try that has been a saving grace for me and my family.
Get in-home childcare
If childcare is an option, it’s the best option to help you get work done uninterrupted. Some people may look at hiring a nanny as a luxury, but when you’re working from home, it’s a bit of a necessity to have in-home help for your little.
You see, I live over 300 miles away from my nearest family members, in a completely new state where we don’t know anyone else. My husband and I aren’t at the stage yet where we’re comfortable just dropping our baby off with anyone. Of course, if it was an option, I would 100 percent be the type of parent to drop my child off at the grandparent’s house while I get some work done. So if that’s your situation, go for it! However, since this isn’t an option for us, we have found success with hiring a nanny or babysitter from Care.com to come into our home for a few hours a day (about 12 hours a week) and care for our baby downstairs while I’m upstairs getting work done. And oh my gosh — that’s peace of mind!
Chances are you became a stay-at-home mom so you can be more present with my baby. You desire to prioritize family time. As a work from home mom with a baby, you just sometimes need help from time to time so you can focus and get a bit of work done uninterrupted.
So if you have a workload that requires you to be active and available during a set time period, then opting for in-home childcare may be one of the best decisions for you.
Work around your spouse’s schedule
As moms, sometimes we have to get creative and plan our work around our partners’. If possible, you may also try scheduling the meetings or calls around your spouse’s work schedule — especially if your partner is home during business hours, even if that’s just for a couple of hours a day.
If possible, you can only plan meetings during the time when your partner is home to help out. That could look like scheduling calls on your partner’s off days or waking up earlier and taking calls before your partner has to be at work at 9am. If your spouse goes in earlier and gets off earlier, you might even try reserving calls for 4pm or whenever you have the help again at home.
Couple this with blocking off the time when your baby is taking a nap and together that should help you carve out a few hours a day which add up to part-time hours each week.
Take business calls when you’re out on a stroller walk
Taking business calls when I’m going on a walk in the park is awesome. I don’t know how come I didn’t think of this idea before, but this is by far the best idea and the best solution that I’ve come up with to help me carve out more time for work while also spending time with my baby.
So one thing that I have found that absolutely works for us when trying to work from home with a baby is to get the stroller and go for a walk at the time when I have to take a business call outside of my normal working hours or a call that popped up in too short of a notice to have hired help. This is a great way to spend some time outdoors, get some fresh air, and handle business at the same time.
Why this works so well for us is the fact that my baby does so well in the stroller. History has shown me that during our normal walks at the park or on a trail, my girl typically remains quiet and serene throughout the entire experience — which is PERFECT. She has her snacks, milk, and entertainment which is watching the squirrels or birds go by in peace.
This option is one I’ve been able to count on and feel good about because I am able to keep a close eye on her while also having a serious conversation. It’s the best of both worlds.
So the next time you have to have an important call and if you are able to take that car on the go, I would highly recommend grabbing your phone, a stroller, and whatever else you need then just go for a walk at a park.
So if you’re wondering how you can go about handling business with a baby by your side, hopefully by testing out some of these ideas, you’ll be able to better balance business life with a baby. At the end of the day, it may take a few trial and error attempts to figure out what works best for you as a stay at home mom entrepreneur. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise, because you can have it all.
If you have even more ideas, please share them in the comments below!
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