My work day began at 7am today. When a good twitter friend and fellow wahm, ReourcefulMom  tweeted that her work day was just beginning, I had already had lunch with Peanut, completed a quick task for the hubster, and was sitting down to begin the second half of my day, which consisted of writing some articles. I commented back that I was on the second part of my day.

To which she asked how I work in the AM with Peanut. It’s a good question. Some days I don’t know how I get anything done with him around but I do. My answer was flip, I admit (I do nothing that requires heavy concentration) but it’s partly true. Not every day requires heavy concentration. For instance, I cleaned out my email first thing, I vented to another twitter pal about some frustrations I was having, I had a conference call, I updated a profile and wrote out some recommendations on LinkedIn. This was an easy morning.

So not to be so offhand in my answer, not every day works out this way. In the past, I’ve rarely used a to-do list (they stress me out because if I see it and I don’t get it crossed off, I freak out) and one minute Peanut can be playing happily with his Hot Wheels, trains, or his new favorite, A V Smile that he got for his birthday and the next he clamoring into my lap, crying and whining

So how do I work in the AM or even the PM for that matter with Peanut?

Take today and yesterday for instance; I had dinner all planned out. It helps to not stress at the last minute over what I’m cooking. Tonight it’s hamburgers and some veggies (not sure what kind yet). Yesterday was baked chicken with rice and green beans.

I also have a loose game plan. I need to have this when the hubster has a day off because at any minute we could be heading out to run some errands together. I check in with him the night before and try to gauge whether or not I can put lengthy tasks on the next day’s game plan. He was off today and yesterday so I didn’t schedule anything pressing. Besides, the UPS man was coming today and I needed to be here.

I do a lot of prep work the night or day before. In addition to making my game plan, I do anything I can do the night before. If I’m writing an article, I bookmark the research pages I want the night before and make as many notes as I can. I flesh out as much as info as possible. I took a trip to the library on Sunday so I could take the quiet time needed to research some topics without little ones around. I will often sit in the living room with the kids and do these things before they go to bed.

I save the nonpaying stuff for later. I could spend all day on my blogs or pet projects but it doesn’t pay the bills (just yet). So many times, these things are left for late at night when I can’t sleep or when I feel satisfied with the progress I made during daylight hours. Which is why you don’t see a lot of posts from me lately. I don’t have enough daylight hours!

I’m a big fan of frequent breaks. I get stuck. A project begins to feel like it’s never going to end, or I just need to stretch. I get up and do it and I don’t ever, ever, feel bad about it. I do my laundry, wash a few dishes, get a snack, call a friend. If my brain needs a break, I give it to her.

I try to reserve one day for running errands and do them in the morning  or I wait until Bug comes home and I leave Peanut with him so I can run to the store, post office, bank, or wherever I need to go. Bug is 13 now and he’s getting his babysitting skills together.

Unfortunately for me, Peanut seems to have boycotted napping. This last growth spurt has him all messed up. The good news is that he goes to bed earlier, the bad news is that I no longer get the two hour break that I have coveted since he was born. So I’ve had to make adjustments.

When it comes to Peanut, I remember that I’m a mom first. Everything else may have to wait. I may have to pull an all nighter or beg/borrow/steal a moment away from the house to do even an hour’s work. I’m not ashamed to admit that I let him watch morning television (PBS only) so I can get through my inbox or a conference call. I’ve also set him up with me, a pair of safety scissors and some old newspaper and let him practice cutting. When the weather is nice (Stupid groundhog and his shadow BTW), we go outside and he plays in his sandbox or kiddie pool while I turn a darker shade of pale and get some work done.

If I’m making it sound easy, believe me, it’s not. My schedule and plans are constantly dumped upside down. When that happens, I simple recheck where I need to be and decide: Finish it up or come back later when I will have more time? You’d be surprised at my answer some days.

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