Setting up a home office is relatively simple – you decide which part of your home you want to work in, set your working hours and get started.
But what if you have some company…a new baby to join you? Here are some tips to make it work:
1. The essentials
A new baby will sleep through most of the day if they are comfortable – well fed, clean and dry, and have enough quiet.
What you’ll need to decide is whether you’ll work in the same room as your newborn or not.
One option is to install a foldable desk in your baby’s nursery, so you can keep an eye on him as you work. Or you can place a cot in your home office. You can find baby cribs of all sizes these days, so if this is your preferred option, just shop around.
2. Balancing everything
Working and looking after a baby takes dedication. There will be times when work is really busy, but your child just won’t settle and you’ll need to have a contingency plan – the ability to take an hour or so out of work to settle your child, or some back up in the form of a friend or relative to help you get through a busy period.
Whatever you do, don’t get despondent. You are not the only mumpreneur out there,and if others can do it, so can you. It’s just a question of finding out the setup that works best for you.
3. Setting your hours
Many mumpreneurs work around their child’s nap times and bedtimes to get any work that requires quiet done. It’s not uncommon to send an email at 9 or 10pm and get one bounce right back to you from another working mum.
4. Build up a support network
It’s great to have a network of mumpreneurs you can bounce ideas off on those days when you just can’t seem to get through the day. Join groups on LinkedIn and follow like-minded people on Twitter so you can let off steam when you need to.
