Printer-Friendly
Email this Story
Post a Comment (3)
Home-Based Balancing Act
If you have a home-based business, you can count yourself lucky when you consider today's high gas prices. If you have a home-based business and you are generating income, you’re even luckier considering the record number of job losses currently happening across the country. If you have a home-based business and at the same time you are juggling your responsibilities as a stay-at-home parent…uh, ok, what was I just talking about? Oh, yeah…as a stay-at-home parent, how do you balance running a successful business and meeting the needs of your clients or customers while providing the best care for your child or children at the same time?
I chose to start a home-based business so I could be home to care for the child my husband and I were trying to have, and the other reason was to combine my experience and interests and do something that I enjoyed while generating an income, that being my corporate experience as an executive assistant and my love for the Arts. As a certified Virtual Assistant, I provide assistance from a distance, working off-site and completing work and project assignments via the Internet, e-mail, telephone, fax and postal service for businesses. My specialty is in Arts and Entertainment support, but I provide services to non-industry clients, too. My experience as an actress and model, and my husband’s knowledge and experience as a music producer, composer, arranger, artist manager and managing orchestras for many years made it a no brainer.
We now have a 10 month old daughter. I’m doing what I love to do, and feel I have the best of both worlds being able to be with my daughter while I work at home, and having my husband’s full support with it all is just as great.
So, I am trying out different things with her as I go along each day while I work and handle phone calls. Having a routine for her definitely has helped, such as putting her down for two naps a day at scheduled times so I can get more work done. I also get a lot accomplished at night time once she is tucked into her crib, but I would love to do that less often.
I would enjoy hearing from readers who are also balancing being a stay-at-home parent while running a business or telecommuting from home. What works for you? What hasn’t worked and did you find a solution? I welcome your comments and suggestions.
View Kim Bloom's profile
Kim is so very correct, in all respects! Children (which Jean and I do not have) are certainly a distraction as is laundry...TV...mowing the lawn...vacuuming the pool...and on and on.
Working at home is, truly, serious business and it requires extreme discipline for many folks who do it. If you can separate yourself from the day-to-day routine of life you can be very productive working from home - and in my case, even more productive than when I was working in "Corporate America". Someone once said that "Management is a series of interruptions interrupted by interruptions" so when you are alone in your home-office world, those distractions and interruptions can be mitigated...unless you are in Kim's situation!
It's hard for me to weigh in on this one because I'm not qualified (no children) but if I were Kim I'd try to maximize my productivity and customer interface during baby's playpen time, TV time, nap time, etc. When baby is not engaged in those functions then I'd focus on less crucial and lower-value items such as filing, organizing, and taking breaks with the little one. And, if Kim is on the phone with a client when baby decides to throw a crying fit, then just tell the client that that noise is one of her Vice Presidents having a bad day!
Let's hear from some qualified folks - those of you with crying Vice Presidents!
All the Best Kim!
Dennis
Posted by taylord
Report Offensive Content
Dennis, you might as well be a fly on my wall. I practice everything you suggest, but I sometimes would file and organize while my daughter napped or was occupied. I should instead use those times to focus on more important business matters, and I am certainly more productive during her down times.
Thank you for commenting!
Kim
Posted by B_Kim_Bloom
Report Offensive Content
I have to say “nothing is easy”. “Working at home” alone while you have a baby is like you pursue a second career while you still have a full time job. I know how that feels. She must have high motivation to keep her going. I really respect her. Good Luck Kim! Please share with us more about your progress, your passion and your happiness.
Posted by chinadavee
Report Offensive Content
You must be logged in to post a comment.