How To Homeschool, Work From Home - And Keep Your Sanity!

I have had a lot of moms approach me and ask how in the world am I able to homeschool my kids while running a business from home. Honestly, each day is a work in progress.

Anyone would gladly make that trade-off just to be able to work from home and stash away the long hours of commute or having to deal with a lot of office politics and being underpaid even if you over-deliver.

However, that whole big audacious idea of running an empire from home while homeschooling can be completely overwhelming for many homeschooling moms, mompreneurs, or WAHMs (and even the WAHDs) who already have a lot on their plate. That’s why most people just give up and drop the idea like a hot potato.

Managing TIME + ENERGY

We’re not just talking about trying to manage time or multitasking but it’s really about having the energy to manage it all - homeschooling, working from home, mommy duties, chores, and all the grunt work – while still keeping your mental health in check!

I wish I could promise you that things will be smooth-sailing but I can’t. There is no secret formula to perfecting homeschooling and being a WAHM or WAHD. No days are alike when you’re juggling being a mompreneur and homeschooling. All I know is that some chaos is going to be all worth it!

Having a plan in place is crucial to pulling this off. If you don’t plan, you’ll just be shooting blanks and the overwhelming feeling can be paralyzing. You have to plan so you can start at a success point every day.

Create a Schedule and Stick to It

So very few of us are going to practically be able to follow a schedule. For most, time slots on a chart are only going to frustrate us as life happens and we are constantly thrown off that schedule. However, if you have to work and homeschool, a schedule is a way to survive.

Break your day up into small chunks—spend an hour teaching and then an hour working. Designate times you need to be available for work (zoom meetings, calls with clients, slack channel commitments) and set your kids up with screen time or art projects.

When you can be free, block out a half-hour to hour-long chunks to help with their schoolwork or play outside. Break school lessons up as much as possible—you will all be happier with a few 30-minute sessions as opposed to one long multi-hour session.

 Breathe! There are Bad Days – and That’s Okay!

The schedule is key to your survival, but it is also just a guideline. There will be days when you have to throw the schedule out and focus on the more important tasks. Take it day by day and recognize that some days will be easier than others. Do the best you can! Take solace in this: these first couple weeks of homeschooling are the hardest. As your kids get used to the new setup, they will be able to do more work on their own.

Use Screen Time to Free Up Your Day

Remember when you swore you would never use screens as a babysitter? Yeah, that was when you were still allowed to have real babysitters come over. Now that you can’t? Desperate times call for desperate measures.

There will be times when you have to set your kids in front of a screen so that you can do the work that will keep a roof over their heads. Don’t beat yourself up for that! Try downloading some educational apps that your kids can use and learn too at the same time. Your child’s teacher may have some recommendations as well.

Teamwork Gets The Work Done!

Now more than ever, families need to function as a team. We need to help each other out. Whether that means big sister helping little brother with his math homework, or older kids taking turns starting dinner. It is time everybody recognizes the role they can play as part of the team. Talk to your kids and explain how you all need to work together to get through this trying time. They may surprise you with how well they step up to the challenge.

Find Some ME Time - You Need It!

Let’s be honest: working from home with kids isn’t easy! Add having to educate them into that mix, and the interruptions alone may make it seem impossible to get anything done. That is why you need to find your hours.

Two to three hours, every day, that are yours—without interruption or distraction. You may have to get up early, stay up late, or trade responsibilities with your spouse to get the time you need. This way, you can focus entirely on work without the stress of everything else.

 You Got This!

You are not the only parent being pushed to the brink right now. Teachers and administrators know different families are facing various challenges, and they are open to helping you as best they can, so long as you let them know what you are up against.

You also need to lean on your support system in whatever ways you can. Set up weekly happy hour Zoom calls with your best friends so that you can see each other and remember you are not alone. Nothing about what is happening right now is easy, but for the first time, it’s something everyone in the world is going through at once.

So don’t be too hard on yourself on the days when it feels like you’re failing. You’re not! Remind yourself of that by reaching out to the people who can commiserate—and maybe even offer up some tips and ideas for making tomorrow run a little bit smoother.