In today’s fast-paced world, being a work-at-home mom comes with its own set of challenges. Juggling household responsibilities, childcare, and professional commitments can often feel like a never-ending balancing act. While the flexibility of working from home offers numerous benefits, it’s essential to recognize the potential pitfalls, especially when it comes to productivity, particularly at night. In this blog, I explain why I stopped working at night and why it isn’t always the most effective option for work-at-home moms and provide practical tips for maximizing productivity during daytime hours.
The Myth of Nighttime Productivity
It’s a common misconception that working at night can lead to increased productivity, especially for moms who are busy during the day with childcare and household tasks. However, the reality is quite different. Working late into the night can often result in reduced productivity for several reasons:
- Tiredness Slows You Down: After a long day of doing basically everything from household chores, taking care of the kids, running errands and making sure all the kids are signed up for their after school activities, fatigue sets in, and cognitive function decreases. This means tasks take longer to complete, you zone out more and the quality of work may suffer as a result.
- Distractions Abound: The nighttime hours may seem quiet and conducive to focus, but they also bring their own distractions. The temptation to unwind with television shows or engage in social media can easily derail productivity goals.
- Lack of Boundaries: Working at night blurs the boundaries between work and personal time. It’s easy to find yourself engaged in work-related tasks when you should be winding down and spending quality time with family or relaxing.
Maximizing Daytime Productivity
Instead of succumbing to the allure of working late into the night (which I used to do every night for a few years!), I changed my strategy to optimize my productivity during daytime hours and it’s made a huge difference:
- Create a Routine: Establishing a daily routine that includes dedicated work hours can help create structure and discipline. Designate specific blocks of time for work, childcare, and personal activities, and stick to them as much as possible.
- Minimize Distractions: Create a designated workspace free from distractions like television and social media. Set boundaries with family members, letting them know when you need uninterrupted focus time.
- Prioritize Tasks: Start each day by identifying the most important tasks that need to be accomplished. Break them down into smaller, manageable steps, and tackle them during periods of peak energy and focus. And then at the end of the day, clear out the completed tasks and prioritize your list for the next day.
- Take Regular Breaks: Avoid the temptation to power through work without taking breaks. Schedule short breaks throughout the day to recharge and rejuvenate, whether it’s going for a walk, doing a quick workout, or simply stepping away from your desk.
- Practice Self-Care: Remember to prioritize self-care to maintain overall well-being. I know, I know…this is the one that gets left by the wayside and I find this one the most difficult to acheive but when I do I feel a who lot better and ready to tackle anything. So get enough sleep, eat good meals, and make time for activities that you enjoy and help you relax.
- Devices: The devil in disguise! I’m totally guilty of spending too much time on my phone. I mean, it’s essential for my work, so I’m always glued to it. But like I mentioned earlier, try setting aside a chunk of time for mindless scrolling, then put it away and get cracking on your to-do list.
In Conclusion
While opting to work at night when the kids are in bed may appear to solve the challenges faced by us work-at-home moms, it often results in reduced productivity and heightened stress levels (I got tired of constantly complaining about how exhausted I felt and found myself becoming snippy and irritable with everyone). By using the daytime hours efficiently and incorporating effective methods to manage time and energy when the kids are at school, us moms can achieve a balance between work and family life while reaching our professional goals. It’s not easy, so try experimenting with various strategies over a few weeks until you find one that suits you best.
I’ve noticed that following a vacation or during the Christmas holidays, when things slow down, I’m in a better head space to regroup and establish new intentions and objectives. I don’t feel as overwhelmed or weighed down, and over time, it becomes easier to stay focused and on track.