My 'WAHM better' campaign
After my almost meltdown a few days ago, where the struggle of working from home was feeling a tad bit overwhelming, I am happy to report that I am now feeling much better and hopeful.
I decided to start a ‘WAHM better’ campaign, or as friends call it, “the new & improved Shaz”!
My first thought was to look for other working moms, and preferably ones that were successful at it. Perhaps if nothing else, at least to prove to myself that it is possible to be both a fulltime developer and a fulltime mother.
Feeling inspired, I went on to my next step, which was to find some tools that would help me stay organized and manage my time more efficiently. I am trying out an online tool called Backpack which stores client requests, tasks, and even files so they do not get lost and forgotten in my inbox. Now, my clients can log into the tool as well, where they can see and edit the information related to their projects. I am also determined to finish my portfolio, which I have been working on for the past year, and is still only in the developmental stage!
The most important thing that I am learning is how to balance my time better. One of the things that happen when working from home is that ‘work’ is never finished. By that I mean, when I am not spending time with the kids or doing a household chore, I will be on my laptop. I believe that in my mind the need for a stable paycheck is so strong that I am making myself think that if I am relaxing, I am not ‘working’, and therefore I am not trying hard enough to get this income that I am now responsible for. The sad fact was that even when I was spending time with the kids, my mind would be constantly on the work that I needed to get done, so I would be almost useless as a playmate, entertainer, mentor… 
And then, while I worked, I would be riddled with guilt about not being a better mom for my kids! It was a vicious cycle that needed to end.
As a side note, it is not that my husband is forcing me to get this extra money, he is very understanding (at times), and very helpful with the kids, but it is very difficult to live as a one-income family after having previously signed up to enough bills for a two-income family, and I cannot help but feel that bridging this gap is my burden.
Realizing that the lack of balance in my life may be the cause for the excessive stress I feel is, I think, is a great step to becoming successful at the WAHM-ing thing!
