I love the looks I get when I tell family and friends that I work from home running my own business AND homeschool my two little boys. Their looks can be very humorous. I am completely aware that many people think I am crazy, and to be honest, I think I might be slightly insane somedays too. However, if you are new to this working-from-home/homeschooling journey, I want to give you some comfort when I say that it is possible, and you might not end every day wanting to pull your hair out. Here are my tips to stay sane while working from home and homeschooling.

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11 Tips To Stay Sane While Working From Home

Tips To Stay Sane While Working From Home And Homeschooling

Accept And Acknowledge

If this is your first rodeo when it comes to homeschooling and working from home, then this tip is definitely the first step for you to take. It would be best if you were honest with yourself from the start. Accept and acknowledge that your life is going to change. Please, don’t be naive like me and think that everything will be fine and I will just “wing” it. Yeah, I know. I read that and cringe too. Oops!

Be aware that things that never worked before might become your saving grace, and things that always worked might not work anymore! The important thing is to be open to change and looking for new things that work for you and your family.

Prioritizing Is Key

Homeschooling families and work from home business owners or employees aren’t cookie-cutter. Each family and each job or business has different needs and priorities. The key is to take the much needed time to define the priorities of your job, your business, and your homeschooling family needs. This is a crucial step to take so that you can stay sane, make money, and give your kids an ample amount of time to help them excel educationally.

Best way to do this? Sit down with your spouse or partner and write out what is necessary for you and your family at this particular stage in life. Hint…you will have many different stages, and your priorities will change and grow.

Be Flexible AND Stick To A Routine

I know. This doesn’t sound very clear. How can you be flexible and stick to a routine all at the same time? You have to remain flexible because things are going to happen. Job deadlines will pop up, and kids (you too) are going to get sick. However, it is good to create a routine and do your best to stick to it. The keywords there are to do your best. That doesn’t mean it will be perfect, or your life will always fit into that perfect little routine.

Having a routine can help with overwhelming feelings, especially at the beginning of the adjustment period. Let me be clear. I think a schedule and a routine are two different things, at least in my mind. A schedule is rigid, and a routine allows for flexibility. A routine gives you a place to start, so you feel less overwhelmed and more prepared.

Give Yourself Time And Grace

It is important to remember that you need to give yourself time and grace. Keep in mind, if this is your first year homeschooling, your kids are going to need time to readjust to the new changes.

Be realistic with yourself, but don’t fall into being pessimistic. It will take work and a lot of trial and error, but it is possible. Don’t be too hard on yourself, your spouse, or your kiddos.

Adopt A Relaxed Homeschooling Style

One of the first things I learned was to adopt a relaxed, homeschooling style. I don’t expect my kids to be doing school 8 hours a day. Before you start rolling your eyes at me, hear me out. I am aware that if they were in public school, it would be 8 hours. However, do you really want to fight with them for 8 hours a day? Plus, it is proven that they can still learn with 2-3 hours a day. Be creative. Do more hands-on activities, and they will learn just as much, if not more, than they would by doing worksheets. My degree is in elementary education, so I can assure you they are not missing out by doing fewer hours a day.

If the day doesn’t go as planned, let yourself off the hook. Make the best out of what you accomplished and pick up where you left off the next day. Don’t stress! Expect the unexpected.

More Is Not Always Best

Like I mentioned above, don’t push yourself to hit 8 hours of school a day. Look at it this way. While they might be in school for 8 hours a day, they aren’t doing actual work for 8 hours straight. Take into consideration:

• the transition between subjects, classes, and/or teachers
• kids go to recess, gym, and lunch
• teachers are having to pay attention to 20+ kids instead of just a few

Keep up with the basics (math, reading, science, etc…), read A LOT, and spend as much time doing hands-on activities and exploring outside.

Ask For Help

I am going to be very transparent here. I am the “do it all myself” kind of mom. However, I urge you to learn from me and listen when I say please, don’t be that mom. Homeschool burnout came on quickly after I started running around working, homeschooling, cooking, cleaning, shopping, etc… Once I reached out to my husband and started to expect WAY more from my children, we sat down and divided up chores. Once we all knew what was expected of ourselves, I felt a huge relief.

Seek Out Support

Remember that you don’t have to do it alone. Seek out support groups on Facebook or online. Look for those other work from home/homeschooling Mamas. I promise you that you aren’t alone. I am blessed to have a best friend that lives a few streets over from me that is homeschooling her son, which happens to be my oldest son’s best friend. No, not everyone will be this lucky. However, seek out your local homeschooling coalitions and try to make friends that understand exactly what you are going through.

Schedule Quiet Time For All

It is crucial to schedule some daily quiet time and self-care. Find time in each day to get your kids busy reading or watching a movie, and take this time to read, nap, take a shower, or a bubble bath. I am not too ashamed to admit that sometimes I snooze a bit on the couch with my boys while watching some Super Why or Number Blocks.

Get Out Of The House

When it comes to working from home and homeschooling, you are going to be home A LOT. So it’s crucial to get yourself and the kiddos out of the house when you can. Get some sunshine and let them run off some energy. I promise you that you and the kiddos will feel much more refreshed and ready to go.

Keep Your Employer Or Clients In The Loop

Whether you have a boss or you are your own boss with clients, it is imperative to keep them all in the loop. Work with your boss and/or clients and set some expectations. Let them know exactly what is going on with you and your family and set new “office” hours. For example, you could tell them that you do school from 8:00 am to 10:00 am to please not expect replies during this time. Be honest with them. Ask that they give you more of a notice on tasks or projects, if possible. However, you need to understand that sometimes you will have to pull an all-nighter if emergency tasks or projects arise.

Wake Up Earlier

I know, for night owls and non-morning mamas, this doesn’t sound appealing. Believe me. I get it. I am not a lover of early rising either. However, waking up earlier does have its benefits. This gives you some time to yourself. A moment to breathe before the day starts and gets hectic. It is a time to have that cup of coffee and not have to reheat it 20 times. Recenter yourself and get yourself prepped for the day.

Organization Is Crucial

I have learned that staying organized is crucial to success in working from home and homeschooling. During your working hours, focus on the most important tasks first. Focus on the crucial deadlines before you start working on smaller tasks. I also try to stay ahead on tasks that allow me to do so—for example, social media scheduling. I always try to stay 2 weeks ahead. This gives me a little wiggle room if and when unexpected events with work and family take place.

Communicate

Communication is key. It is important to make sure that your spouse, your kids, and your boss and/or clients know exactly what is going on. Ensure that you and your spouse are aware of appointments or meetings coming up each week. If you have a busy work week coming up, make sure you let your kids know that homeschooling might be a little more lax or self-taught for a few days. Let them know you still expect school to be accomplished, but you will be a little busier with work than normal. If you are aware of changes or what’s to come, it can take a lot of the stress out of the situation. Most of the time, stress comes from the unknown.

Respect Your Working Hours

As important as homeschooling your children is, so is working from home. If you want to make working from home successful, you will have to respect your working hours and teach your kids this. I have found that you can have some uninterrupted time if you give your children guidelines or an activity.

Take Advantage Of This Time

As hectic as this time can be, please take advantage of this time with your kids. Children are extremely perceptive, and they will know when you are distracted and not 100% with them. I like to look at it this way. If you expect 100% attention from them, they will expect the same from you. Look at this time as an opportunity to spend quality time with your children, connect with them on levels you might not have ever had the chance to before, and create memories with your children that you and them will always remember.

Last Few Tidbits

• Be proactive about managing interruptions (find different ways for them to communicate with you while you are working, etc…)
• Give your children the tools they need while you are working, or they are waiting to communicate with you.
• Especially for older children, you must teach them to help themselves whenever possible or have the older children help the smaller children for tasks that don’t require an adult.
• Keep arts and craft supplies, books, games, toys, etc…within easy reach.
• Take time for self-care to avoid burnout.
• Remind yourself why you are doing this!
• Remember these tips to stay sane while working from home and homeschooling are just starting points. You must find what works best for your family.

Related Posts:
Homeschooling Tips For Busy Moms
Stuck At Home Resource Guide For Busy Moms
Nighttime Routine For Busy Moms
Busy Mom Tips For Productive Mornings
11 Tips To Stay Sane While Working From Home

Will it be easy? No, however, you will have days where you look around and realize just how blessed and lucky you are. You have the chance to build amazing relationships and make incredible memories. However, I hope these tips to stay sane for those difficult days while working from home and homeschooling will help you keep your head up until the next AMAZING day comes along.

“But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:31

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