Motherhood, the tough job that has us in limbo regarding our career. We were once full-time, in the office 40 hours a week working women, and suddenly we become mothers who desire to be home with our kids, yet need the financial income from working. What are we supposed to do?
Now more than ever there are many opportunities for mothers to have the best of both worlds. A full-time mom role and career woman all based out of the comfort of your own home. And no, I am not referring to any multi level marketing companies either. Although I know many mothers that are in these types of businesses, from my experience, unless you are the top of the food chain, you make very little income.
I’m here to help you find other opportunities, real money, all while still making your kids the priority. Before I jump into a few ideas for you, I want to start of by setting a few realistic ground rules for you when it comes to working from home. I’ve had the pleasure of working for myself the past 3 years since having my daughter, and it hasn’t come without some hiccups, challenges, and stresses along the way. Here are a few realistic things to remember:
You’re Never “Off the Clock”
When you work for yourself, and don’t have an 8-5; you really work all the time. My big hours of work are during nap times and once the kids go to bed. I sacrifice a lot of sleep for this juggling life, but for me, it is worth it. You won’t spend as many evenings watching shows with your husband once the kids go to bed, or dosing off early before starting the day again the next morning. You could possibly be up late, to ensure your work is done.
You Still Need Childcare
Be prepared to get some help with the kids. You’ll have meetings, or appointments, or conference calls. So although most of your work could be at home, be prepared there are still needs for work that need to be kid-free. No matter what line of work, you’ll have clients that need updates, meetings, etc. so find your go-to people for childcare.
Self-Motivation
I love not having a “boss” but things still need to get done. You have to be self-motivated enough to get into work mode even when you’re tired, overwhelmed or dealing with a parenting challenge, etc. Set deadlines for your self and your work and stick to them.
Now that some realistic expectations have been set, let’s brainstorm some actual work from home jobs. Think of your experiences, your skills, your resources, and see which one could fit your family’s needs.
Contract Work
Being a 1099 contractor for someone or a company is a great gig. Typically it’s a dollar amount per project or service rendered and there is a lot of flexibility in this. Here are a few examples of contract work ideas:
Tutoring
Social Media Marketing
Personal Trainer (even virtual!)
Accounting/Bookkeeping
Medical Billing
Driving Services
Companies like Uber and Uber Eats, and Lyft allow flexible hours and you can drive when the kids are in bed and once the spouse is home from work. This isn’t work from home of course, but it can’t get more flexible than that; I know several moms that do it and love it!
Use Your Skills
Can you sew? Love to craft? Start an Etsy shop and get to work! Use social media to help promote your products and services. I also know several seamstresses that work from home.
Real Estate
Several friends are either loan officers or real estate agents. These are great career options with a little school in the beginning and off you go. Most agents work both evenings and weekends, but calls and contracts happen virtually anywhere. Loan officers (I am one) can work from home, depending on the company you work for. I meet with clients when needed, but otherwise the rest of my work is in front of my computer and happens at anytime.
Virtual Assistant
There are several companies that hire virtual assistants! These are typically contract based but a great way to highlight organization or admin skills you have all while handling the clients’ needs, usually electronically.
Childcare
Love kids? You can always create your own childcare! See if some friends need some help or look into the process of creating a licensed childcare facility in your home.
Thankfully in the digital world we live in, the expectations of working an 8 to 5 has shifted. We now have the resources and ability to make money and work from home. So seize it, work hard to research it, and find something that you can enjoy, while providing for your family.