Dear Work-at-Home Moms,
You’re doing a really good job. No, huh-uh. Don’t shake your head or shrug it off. I mean it.
You did enough at your job today. You were enough for your kids today. As Alison Faulkner says, “Enough is a decision, not an amount.”
I’m not saying your list is done and everything’s perfect. You may have to keep evaluating and making adjustments. But that doesn’t mean you’re failing.
Listen Up!
I hear that mean voice in your head. I call mine the Joker. You can call yours whatever you want.
The Joker tells me, “I can’t believe you ignored your kids ALL day. I hope they pay you the big bucks or you’re saving humanity or something.”
That voice is twisted and evil and wrong. Don’t listen to him.
Otherwise tomorrow, he’ll whisper, “I can’t believe you didn’t get childcare for that important Zoom call. I hope the kids are silent or you’re gonna to look incompetent and unprofessional.”
Shut him up. Trust me, he’ll keep going on and on, digging into your deepest insecurities.
Instead, listen to the voices that cheer you on, that lift you up. Maybe it’s a podcast or an inspiring Insta account. Tune in to the good and tune out the bad. Treat your mindset and mental health like a full time job.
Reach Out!
I see you. You’re not alone, even though working at home can feel really lonely and isolating. I’m an extrovert who loves being out in a crowd, so I get this.
We’re all in this together. There are other women who can relate! Maybe you need more support from a group like Wichita Mom. We think you’re brilliant, and funny, and dazzling, and we’re in awe of how you show up.
Lock It Down!
It feels like you’re never off work, like you could just reply to that email real quick before bedtime stories.
It also feels like you’re boxed in the outdated walls of this house. You rearrange the mess so it’s just off camera. You pile the laundry higher. You pray there’s a grocery pickup time left tonight so you don’t have to go buy milk for tomorrow’s breakfast.
Take a deep breath. You’re gonna make it. You won’t be in survival mode forever.
You’re going to figure out what systems you need to make things run more smoothly. You’re going to learn mental and physical boundaries for your work and home. Maybe you meal plan on weekends, hire monthly housecleaning or put your phone to charge at a certain hour every day. You’re brilliant – you’ve got this.
Thank you for working so hard, showing up for your family and the world.
Need more help and support? Read: Working From Home for the First Time and 5 Tips for Thriving While Working Remotely.
https://theworkinghomeschoolmoms.com/
