Work at Home Mom Strategies When You Have to Change Focus

What’s a work at home mom to do when an amazing new opportunity arises?

It’s so amazing to be in a place to have to answer this question!

I’ve had an incredible opportunity open up recently, but for several weeks I wasn’t at liberty to reveal it, which put me in an awkward position as a blogger!  On one hand, I wanted to stay regular with my blog; on the other hand – it’s tough to keep writing when you know your blog is about to need to change its focus – dramatically.

As many of you know who follow me on my social media channels (Facebook, Google+, Twitter, and LinkedIn), I’m in the amazing position of having been offered a position with the Boom! Social team, headed up by none other than Kim Garst.  I’ll be creating and managing content marketing materials and processes.

I couldn’t be more thrilled – talk about the chance of a lifetime!

But by necessity, it means that my own content marketing services will be coming to a close.

As a result, I’m transitioning the focus of my website. It’s an effort that’s been in progress for a few weeks now, and yes, the rough look for a couple of weeks was the results of my attempts to modify it myself.  I’m definitely a word nerd and not a web geek!

I’ll be shifting gears to focus on some of the common concerns of work at home moms, adding in pieces related to spiritual matters (especially when it comes to raising kids in a faith tradition), and maybe even a few articles that don’t fit in to any one category very neatly.

Work At Home Strategies for Life Transitions

Whether it’s a happily anticipated change or a surprising – or devastating change, the strategies for keeping your life balanced during a time of transition are similar.

1. Decide what is essential – and what isn’t.

Not everything has the same urgency, and this becomes quite obvious when there’s an unexpected event – be it exciting or tragic. Make a prioritized list of the must-dos. This gives you a way to outsource anything critical when someone offers help.  (And when they do offer, pick up your list, give them a task, and let them help!)

2. Make a routine.

When you are overwhelmed with trying to learn something new or simply gather the courage and energy to get through the day, being able to function on autopilot is a merciful tool. It doesn’t require much thought – you just have to “do.”  After you’ve figured out what is essential to you personally and professional, write a short routine for each section of the day (morning, mid day and evening) to get it accomplished.  Don’t skip writing it down; there is no shame in it whatsoever. Pilots run checklists before every flight to make sure nothing is skipped – feel free to give your life the same careful consideration!

3. Break down complex tasks into manageable, 15-minute chunks

If simply getting started seems difficult, take something that seems complex and pick a starting point.  It doesn’t have to be the perfect place to start – it is just a place to begin.  Set a timer for 15 minutes and focus for just those 15 minutes.  You don’t have to get it all done, you just have to work for those 15 minutes.

You might be surprised with what you can do in that amount of time!  Be willing to give yourself a break at the end of that time too.  It makes it easier to try it again the next time when you know you’ll honor your need for breaks as needed and that you don’t have to finish it all in 15 minutes.

 

In my own life transition from building my own business to participating in a team building a larger business, I’ve had to figure out how to refocus my piece of internet real estate called PaulineMagnusson.com  I’ve decided to focus on my interest in the mix of working at home, parenting, marriage, and the spiritual life that’s my everyday existence.

I’ve renamed this effort The Mom-astic Life, because while life in a monastery sounds attractive from time to time (especially during a multi-kid meltdown), the truth is this – we are all called to recognize the holiness in everyday life, whether we live in the world or in a cloister.  These walls, my home business, the endless piles of laundry, and even the Lego blocks stepped on in the middle of the night are exactly the means that God has given me to bring me closer to Him.  This crazy, chaotic life stuffed full of love and laughter is my monastery.

And for that, I say, “Glory to God.”

If these topics might interest you, I’d love to see you stick around.  Grab a cup of coffee, post a comment, and let’s get started getting to know one another better. If this isn’t something that you’re interested in, peace be to you as you depart; know you’re in my prayers.

Be blessed!