Some people mistakenly believe that work at home moms have it easy and that there is no reason why they can’t “get it all done.” These people do not understand the challenges that work at home moms face.

Moms that work outside the home can leave the office and focus on their family, and when they are at the office they can focus on their work.  Work at home moms need to find a way to blend both of those worlds into the same four walls.

Here are some time management tips for work at home moms:

* Define your business hours and let your clients and family know what they are.  When you are working, let your family know that you need some quiet time to get your work done.  When it is “closing” time, feel free to shut the office door and enjoy your family.  Your client can wait until tomorrow for you to return their phone call.

* If you have small children, it is okay to get some childcare help.  Enrolling your child in daycare for a few hours a day twice a week doesn’t mean you are a bad mother.  You need time to work on your business, and you shouldn’t feel guilty about that.  If you don’t want to leave your child at daycare, consider hiring someone to come to the house and watch your children while you work.  A young teenager is qualified for this, and will be very affordable.

* Many of your administrative activities can be outsourced to a virtual assistant.  This will free up your schedule and allow you to spend more time marketing your business.

* Check your email once in the morning and once in the evening, rather than checking it and responding to mail every half hour or so. This will save you a lot of time throughout your day.

* If you are tempted to start surfing the internet while working on the computer, unplug your internet connection until your work is done.  Once you have completed your report or spreadsheet, you can get back online.

* Participating in forums and social networking sites can be a great way to connect with others and gain publicity, but they can also be big time wasters.  You don’t have to join every single one you find.  Choose a few good ones, and limit the amount of time you spend there.