A baby is a game-changer in every way, as is working at home. Try not to begin both new ventures simultaneously. If you don’t work at home already, but plan to start working at home after the baby is born, try to begin before the birth, in order to get a better idea of what issues and obstacles you’ll face. At the very least, lay the foundations for your new venture during pregnancy and maternity leave. If you would like to transition from an office to a telecommuting job, begin the process as early as you possibly can. Set up your home office while you’re still pregnant. And, of course, start planning for childcare, although figuring the right amount of childcare and what type of childcare are just a start on the road back to work. But even if you can’t afford to take a long maternity leave, take some time off. You need time to focus on your family and yourself. Taking time off from work will allow you to recover from the birth, bond with your baby and get back to work with a better sense of organization. Explore what works for you. Would an old-fashioned calendar and a proper file cabinet or a Blackberry serve you better? Would a system of color-coded notes on a wall fit with your visual style of organization? Is it time to trade in the desktop computer for a laptop, so you can be nearer to the baby? Think about investing in some time management tools for your business. At the very least, take some time to think about how these organizational systems might help. Freelancers, ask clients what work they might need in the coming months. Projects are often assigned at the last minute simply because there’s not a pressing need on the client’s part to plan ahead. However, clients may be willing to do some long-term planning to help you manage the workload. Do your best to work ahead in your personal life, too. Set up auto-pay for bills, for example. Stock up on gifts for upcoming occasions so you won’t need to shop when you’re busy with baby. Make appointments for routine care, such as dental cleanings and eye exams. But don’t just look to volunteers. Hiring temporary help may guide you toward some long-term solutions. A mother’s helper might be a good temporary childcare choice while you’re figuring out your new routine. And the same is true of a home business. Consider hiring someone to help during maternity leave and later. Are there parts of your job a freelancer or a student could do? If you would need to train someone, start the process early in your pregnancy. Sit down and talk about the amount of time you each expect and want to spend on various tasks like child care, work, household maintenance, personal time, and together time. These expectations are likely to be quite different for each of you, but an open discussion will shed light on potential problems. As with organization, you may find that systems that worked in the pre-baby days (like, say, one person doing all the cleaning) are no longer workable. Getting organized goes a long way toward working smarter, but not all the way. And that’s where flexibility comes in. No matter how organized you are there will be days or weeks when it all falls apart. Nothing stays the same with kids. They constantly grow and change. You’ll need to roll with long-term and short-term changes in routine. For instance, naptime, once your lifeline as a work at home mom, goes away eventually.
