Moms need their space, too!

All too often I find that busy moms don't have a dedicated work space to call their own. As busy as that job is - I think it's critical that whenever possible, a mother identifies a home office space where she can set up shop and efficiently manage the family's activities. I think people tend to forget that a busy family sometimes needs to run like a business; scheduling appointments, managing schedules and activities, coordinating health care and education, planning vacations, supervising homework, arranging for household repairs, paying the bills, and keeping the pantry stocked are tasks that only scratch the surface of the full responsibilities. And that doesn't even take into account a mother's own business/work responsibilities, volunteer activities, and her own hobbies and interests. It's easy to underestimate the space that is required for managing all of this.

This is not to say that you need to dedicate a full room to a mother's home office; but shared space on the kitchen table just doesn't cut the mustard.

One of my clients is a busy mother of two who is learning how to prioritize her own time and interests, and limit her volunteer activities (which is not an easy thing to do). We had the luxury of a spare bedroom that was being used for storage and was full of clutter. We cleaned out and set up a fantastic office just for her. And now she's getting more done in less time, and finding that she can choose to put her energy into things that really matter. We even included a family wall calendar so that the kids can support her in managing the daily schedule of activities.

Whatever your home space allows, finding a place to set up your office as Family Manager is a great first step in having everyone recognize the importance of the role and the full set of responsibilities on your plate - so that each family member can support you in their own ways.