Work at Home Moms

So, have you decided recently to be a stay-at-home or a work-at-home mom? You may have gotten tired of going through the daily drudgery and stress of working in the corporate world and may have decided to spend more time at home with your kids while at the same time pursuing interests closer to your heart.

If you've been working at an office or for someone else all your life, the shift that comes with being a stay-at-home or being a work-at-home mom may be quite abrupt. It can cause you more stress, if left unchecked so for those who are just starting to try out this new lifestyle, you may want to keep in mind the following pointers:

1. Establish a routine. Just because you stay at home, it does not mean that discipline goes flying out the window. List down your daily activities or the things you need or want to do and build your schedule around these. Continue to set a time for waking up, for example -- for meals, for exercise, for watching your kids and for actually getting some work done. This way, you will ensure that you will accomplish what you set out to do for the day or week.

2. Learn to say "no." Most people have the mistaken notion that just because you stay at home, you have a lot of free or idle time. Wrong! You actually find out that you have more things to do or that you need to do things that you have ignored all these years. Never get the idea that just because you no longer work in an office, you need to accommodate anyone and everyone. Choose your activities and events wisely.

3. Dress up and take care of yourself. Just because you stay at home does not mean you should look like you never go anywhere or never leave the house. Continue to try looking your best (well, you can stay away from that business suit for now) and try not to find yourself in pajamas by mid-afternoon.

4. Set aside some time for yourself. A stay at home or work at home mom does not need to do everything by herself. Learn to delegate. Although you want to stay home and spend more time with your kids, have a life too apart from them. This should be a good time to inventory your interests and skills to see how you can put the day to good use. Go out with your friends once in awhile. Take that class to enhance your skills or to learn something you've always wanted to but didn't have the time before. Reflect and pray more.

As you slowly adjust to your new role as a stay at home or work at home mom, you will discover a whole new exciting world away from the office where you constantly had to worry about your boss, peers, or clients. You may crave for the perks that come with being employed every now and then but remember, no time is ever wasted and we are all right where we should be at this very moment.

Enjoy this new phase in your life while it lasts. If you are lucky and/or determined, it just might last forever. =)