How Do You Deal with Wahm Stereotypes? By Connie McKenzie

One of the most difficult things to deal with when you are a work at home mom is often other people's perception that you are not working at all. Some people seem to think that you are not working on your business, and you have all the time in the world. If you have spent any time at all as a work at home mom, then you should be well aware that in order to work effectively, it requires a lot of your time and energy.
Spouses assume that the house should be spic and span and laundry done, among many other household chores. Friends call at all hours of the day and family members sometimes make offhanded comments, this can all undermine your efforts.
So, how do you deal with Wahm stereotypes?
Make your working schedule clear to your friends and family so that they will respect your working time:
Not every mom who stays at home works from home. If you have friends who do not work from home they can sometimes have a hard time understanding that your days are not always free to just come and go as you please. Such things as invitations to lunch, unexpected phone calls, uninvited guests can all throw a wrench into your work schedule.
Have a clear work schedule made up for yourself:
Setting yourself up with some specific office hours will help to make it clear to everyone that you are serious about your work. This way you are setting boundaries for your time. For example, your friends are more than welcome to call you before or after the work times that you have set for yourself.
If someone calls to chat, politely mention that you are working but will be free to talk after a certain time. Or you could even turn off your phone to avoid interruptions.
Don't forget to schedule in your lunches and breaks. It may also be nice to schedule in an occasional visit, you don't want to avoid your friends and family altogether and it will also reduce spontaneous drop-ins and invitations.
Helping your husband understand your work schedule:
You bet your booty that if you are home all day, then your husband is going to have difficulty understanding why it is that the housework isn't done. To best solve this problem, you will want to familiarize him with the nature of your business.
Show him what it is that you do each day and how long it takes to do each task. Help him to understand your work schedule, and how much time you need to work per day. Most importantly, to help him realize the benefits of your work, show him how much money you are earning.
Then ask him for his feedback on how he thinks you can continue to work from home and maintain the household. One of the best solutions would be to share the household duties with him, you and your children. Taking care of the house is something that each family member shares a responsibility in.
Keep him aware of any special projects by tacking a list or calendar on the wall. This way, he can see that you may have a deadline to meet and that is why you have had to order pizza for dinner a couple of times in the past week!
You will need to be prepared for the thoughtless comments of others:
Most Wahms are hurt by thoughtless comments made by others about working from home. Family and sometimes even friends may say things like, "Well, you should have the time, after all, you are at home all day."
In such a situation you would have two choices. You could get all upset and offer a distraught defense or you could take their comments with a grain of salt and calmly respond with something like, "Well, let me take a look at my work schedule. Unfortunately, I am not available on these days" or "That would be great on Thursday afternoon, which is when I specifically leave time in my schedule just for things like that."
Although the number of Wahms is growing, you need to remember that working from home is new territory for many women. For the average person it will take them time to understand that in order to effectively work from home, they will be required to be committed and have a consistent schedule.
As far as how to deal with Wahm stereotypes remember that there will always be someone who you will not be able to convince that you are actually working while at home. However, maintaining respect for your own time is the best way for them to see that your work is a priority.
Connie McKenzie is a full-time work at home mom who devotes herself to doing the things she loves to do most. Family, friends, volunteer work, article writing and affiliate marketing. Learn more Wahm tips, get your Free WAHM-IT! The Masters Course.
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