Sick Day Sanity When You Work From Home

In case you didn’t notice, there’s been some serious radio silence happening on the blog and my social media platforms lately. We had some family stuff come up, and as soon as most of that seemed settle- illness struck the house! Both boys have been feeling a bit icky, but it was ME who really got hit the hardest. I’ve been in and out of bed all week. It’s been tough, trying my hardest to keep the house in some semblance of order and do my best to keep up with deadlines and work responsibilities. Today, I’m sharing a few of the ways I attempt to maintain some sanity when a sick day has me down for the count!

Standard Disclosure: This post has been sponsored by SEO NJ. As always, all opinions expressed are my own.

tipS FOR SICK DAY SANITY WHEN YOU WORK FROM HOME

PLAN AHEAD, WHEN YOU CAN

You’ll Have To Eat

Keep your freezer and pantry stocked with simple staples you can pull out when you’re not feeling well. A previously assembled frozen meal ready to simmer in the crockpot for several hours or even a simple can of soup are perfect. Anything that lets you (and your family) fill up without taking a ton of work from you! (And no worries, a frozen pizza here or there isn’t going to hurt anyone!)

Tuck Away Some Goodies

Next time you’re out shopping without the kids, pick up a few little goodies to tuck away for them. A hidden stash of brand new coloring or workbooks, an inexpensive new DVD, or even a fresh package of stickers can help break up a monotonous day while kids are letting mom rest or work. It’s only a few dollars, and a few minutes of time to hide goodies like these away in a closet. Trust me, you’ll be glad to have the back up on hand!

keep The essentials Stocked And On Hand

Few things are worse than waking up with a stomach bug and realizing you never bought another bottle of the pink stuff. Or when your  nose won’t stop running but the spare boxes of tissues have disappeared! Try your best to keep those ‘must-haves’ stocked and easily accessible- bonus points if you can even direct an older kiddo to grab them for you! We organize our medicine cabinet with bins for ‘colds & allergies’, ‘pain relief’, and ‘kid specific’, so we can find what we need quickly.

TAKE IT EASY!

Rest

I know, this is so simple, you’re probably wondering why I even mention it. Honestly, over the last week, my husband has had to remind me many times to slow down and rest. If you’re anything like me, you need to hear it too. Remember mamas, you can’t pour from an empty cup, so allow yourself rest to recover when you’re ill.

prioritize

Does it really matter if you use paper plates for a few dinners this week? Are the kids going to suffer long term effects if they get a little extra screen time? It’s ok- and a good idea- to shift priorities while you’re not feeling well. Maybe work needs to take a front seat to some of your chores this week, so that deadlines can be met. Guess what? Worst case scenario, your messy living room will be right there waiting next week. When you have the energy and opportunity to prioritize work during sick days (assuming the kids are cared for!), that’s the choice I’ll make, every time!

Adjust Your Expectations

This particular tip is crucial for every family member, not just mom when she’s sick! This past week especially, my boys were disappointed when I couldn’t go to the bus stop each morning or read as many books at bedtime as I usually do. Remind yourself that when you are feeling 100% again, you can rededicate that your focus to your kids and your career again. For the time being though, you can’t expect everything to continue full speed ahead!

CROWD SOURCE

Delegate

I know, super moms would love to keep it all together on their own, even when they’re sick. But the truth is, it’s just not always possible. I find that especially when I’m ill, I need to force myself to be more proactive about delegating household tasks to my husband and children. Yes, the lunches fit better in the bento boxes if I’m the one packing it. Sure, the boys outfits match a whole lot better when mom picks them out, but there’s no reason the kids can’t choose for themselves some mornings. If it gets this sick mama a few more minutes of sleep, then I say DELEGATE AWAY! 

When things get really bad around here, I ask other family or friends to pitch in as well. It takes a village, and now is the time to call your village! Grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends, neighbors… Many are happy to help in so many ways. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, and delegate to them.

Seek Professional Help

No, I’m not talking about a therapist… (Although some evenings, after spending a day home sick, working alongside my kids that sounds tempting!) Sometimes, it’s not enough to just plan ahead and relax when you can. It’s always a great idea to have professionals to provide some valuable assistance too. Does an in-home daycare near you have flexible hours to give you a break from the kids? Is there a teenage baby sitter or mother’s helper who can stop by after school? Take advantage of that when you can, even if it’s just for a few hours.

I find that for me, the best way to stay on top of work while I’m home ill with the kids, is to get outside help with my business. I can rest and recuperate much easier knowing that I already have a team in place, working behind the scenes to help me reach my goals. Even when I’m in perfect health, getting help from specialists like Search Engine Optimization NJ is an incredible resource. It frees up my time to focus on the more creative parts of my blog that I really enjoy. NJ SEO is a family run digital marketing agency that offers a wide range of services perfect for online businesses like my own. Be sure to check out everything brothers Dan & Matt Anton and their team can do for your business- whether you’re taking a sick day or not. If you’re anything like me, you’d rather be crafting than worrying about web analytics and web optimization anyways. Leave it to the experts and give yourself some time to recover!

DO YOU HAVE ANY SPECIAL TIPS YOU USE TO KEEP YOUR HOME & BUSINESS RUNNING WHEN YOU’RE UNDER THE WEATHER? I’D LOVE TO HEAR ABOUT THEM IN THE COMMENTS BELOW!