Women at work and their tips, challenges, advice, complaints, and experiences

Mom-to-be Danae emailed me recently to share that she will soon be working from home.  She's asked me to touch on a few of the things that I've incorporated into my life to make this whole work-at-home mom thing run smoothly.

Well, I have to admit that it's not always super smooth sailing *grin*, but I do have some suggestions.  What better way to share them than in a Thursday Thirteen list?  Here we go: 

1. Create your own workspace, whether it's as small as a corner of the living room or as large as an entire room.  There is a lot to be said for having an official "home office", large or small. 
2. Speaking of home offices, be sure to contact your tax preparer about any breaks you'll get for having a dedicated space and any supplies, machines, etc that are used specifically for business purposes.  If you are an independent contractor or business owner, most of these are probably deductible.  If you are an employee, your employer may have to supply you with the necessities - or at least give you funding for them.  (If your boss pays, you may not deduct the items/costs as your own.)
3. Have a neighbor or babysitter on tap for phone calls or important IM meetings.  I allow all calls to go to voicemail and then I call back when everyone's gone or napping.  To be honest, if I had to be on the phone a lot, working from home with children would not work for me.  Some folks can make it work, but be aware if you try that you may have a client hear your baby going bonkers in the background - and Murphy's Law says it will be your most important, least child-tolerant client.  ;-)
4. Don't start back to work too soon after giving birth.  I know you'll probably think you can do it - trust me.  I thought the same thing about 4 months ago.  I was wrong.  Just because you are at home and baby will be sleeping "frequently" does not mean you'll get anything done other than feedings, diapers, and trying to grab a few winks yourself.  Take as much maternity leave as you are able to and focus on your recovery and baby's needs.
5. When you do start back to work, put your foot down.  With whom?  The friends who will say, "Since you're at home all the time now, can you do this or that for/with me?"  People will assume that working from home means you have time on your hands.  You won't.  To be honest, until you get into the swing of things, you may have even LESS time than you did working in an office and commuting to and fro!  The answer to meeting their child at the bus stop, picking up their dry cleaning, watering their plants, walking their dog, and letting them come by to chat and have coffee is a big resounding NO.
6. Remember to take breaks, especially if you are at the desk all day.  According to my OB/GYN, your body will still have the same risks of pregnancy for a couple of months after baby arrives.  This includes blood clots in your legs - so be sure to change positions in your chair frequently, use ergonomic equipment, and get up NO LESS THAN every two hours to walk around and stretch for a good five minutes or so.  A quick walk around the room, coffee run to the kitchen, or checking in on your little angel napping in the nursery are all good ways to keep things circulating. 
7. Keep water handy - and lots of it.  Just like during your pregnancy, it is vital during post-partum recovery to stay hydrated.  This is especially true if you are breastfeeding!  Get yourself a super nice Nalgene bottle and keep it filled up with water.  Throw in ice if you must have cold water (like me) and make it a goal to drain that bottle by your next two-hour stretch break.  Most people don't drink enough water anyway - this is a great way to get in the habit and cut out sodas, coffee, etc.  In fact, try it while you're still pregnant.  Baby will thank you, I promise!
8. Stock up on healthy snacks before baby's born and keep them available in pre-portioned sizes after baby arrives.  Breastfeeding moms need more calories than bottlefeeding moms, of course, but all of us need to watch the desk munchies.  A colleague and I used to complain that in the weeks before we went to press we both gained 10 pounds.  Bleah!  You want to lose the baby weight, not put on more!  What works for me: pre-portioned snacks, with just enough bags/containers set out for the day.  Hide the rest in the pantry or fridge and train yourself - when today's snackies are gone, you are done.  Even healthy things like crackers, fruit, and veggies have calories - count them up and discuss a healthy number with your doc for your recovery period and maintenance of a new weight after the "fourth trimester".
9. Use email as much as possible.  Plainly put, it's a lot easier to take care of your little one when you know you can respond to someone's email when you're able, rather than knowing you have to call them back or put them on hold while you make a bottle or change a diaper.
10. Streamline your beauty routine before your due date.  Working from home means you don't need to get all gussied up.  Eliminate as many steps as possible from your regimen.  Instead of spending an hour straightening your hair, consider a shorter cut or a simple "wash and go" do such as a ponytail or a chignon. Practicing now means having a routine that takes mere minutes when your baby is finally sleeping.  Which leads me to....
11. Try to shower and get ready before your partner/spouse leaves for work.  Or shower/bathe at night after they've gotten home.  This will eliminate a lot of stress, because you know the baby is in good hands and isn't in need of you when you can't hear over the running water.  Even if you only have time to get the shower itself before they hit the road each morning, that is a big help.  Dressing takes mere minutes and can be done with the baby nearby.
12. Dressing and makeup can be less fuss as well.  Jeans and a comfy T are often all it takes to make you feel pulled together and awake.  Some folks can work in their bathrobes and accomplish plenty; I go back and forth with this.  Some days it makes me feel even more sluggish!  As for putting on your face, as my Southern friends used to say, keep it simple and fast if you must put on makeup.  Baby loves you with or without foundation; do only as much as you absolutely have to in order to feel pulled together and "human".  For some of us this just means washing our faces in the shower, but others may find that a good foundation, mascara, and lip gloss are in order.  Just remember to drop as many steps as you can - every moment saved is worth it in the end.
13. Get your boss's expectations in writing, and require any changes over time documented in writing as well.  During my single mom days, my employer originally stated that she "totally understood" that my child had to come first, and that my work could be done "any time" as long as it was completed.  This changed to repeated requests and complaints when I wasn't online when she was, including a several hour time difference, and I had to put my foot down and establish, in writing, what hours I would be working and when I would be available for direct contact.  Don't let it come to that, no matter how good of a friend your employer appears to be.  Get a contract up front if you are an independent contractor; require a written job description with this issue included if you are a full-fledged employee - especially if you work for a friend or family member.

Good luck to you, Danae, in the coming months!  Being a WAHM can be a huge blessing, but there are plenty of days it'll feel like a curse too.  ;-)  For those of you who are work-at-home moms, please do take a moment to share what has worked (or not) for you, your family, and your employer(s) as well!

(For more Thursday Thirteen lists, click here.)