Many people tell me they would love to work from home, but don’t think they have the discipline. They have visions of distracting themselves on Facebook, running errands all day, or spending time cooking, cleaning, or gardening instead of working. And some of my clients who are stay at home moms often have a hard time adjusting to the world of home business because they already have a full plate. They don’t know how to get time for work.

For me, the daily life of working from home is more attractive than challenging. I think it’s because I’ve been doing it for 18 years and I’ve developed some systems to make sure everything goes smoothly. The Christian business owners and mom entrepreneurs I work with have embraced these strategies and are beginning to see great results! They are more productive and efficient. They have more passion for their business. And, most importantly, they can be more present at home and at work.

Ready to learn our secrets? Here are some of my favorite tips for balancing family and a home business.

Time Management and Productivity Tips for Home-Based Business Owners

1. Create a Schedule. If you’re a creative mom, you may have an aversion to schedules and deadlines. But do yourself a favor and give it a try for a week. Set aside specific hours for your business instead of only working when you feel inspired, have energy, or while the kids are napping.

Even if you can only devote an hour a day to your business, it’s important to know exactly when that hour is and what you intend to do with it. You can accomplish a lot in 60 minutes of focused work. But if you try to steal five minutes here and ten minutes there, you’ll likely be stuck in the same spot for weeks.

2. Set limits. This is where most home based business owners struggle. They flow from mom to businesswoman all day, not knowing what role they should play. You know what I’m talking about: you’re working on a project and your kid wants you to play Go Fish, so you try to do both at the same time. Or you make empty promises that mom will play the game in ten more minutes.

When you set boundaries, such as a designated workspace and specific office hours, you give yourself the freedom to fully focus on the task at hand, whether it’s at work or play. But you need to respect those boundaries: don’t take personal calls or answer personal emails while you work, and put your phone out of reach when it’s time to be with your kids. Your family will appreciate the limits—they’ll learn to recognize when mom is working and when she’s available, instead of constantly having to compete for her attention.

3. Find reliable child care. I remember when my oldest son was a baby and I was working from home on a writing assignment for a large law firm. I had it planned perfectly. I would have two hours a day to write, during the siesta. Suddenly my perfect nap decided not to sleep every afternoon. So, after weeks of frustration and misplaced anger (sorry Andrew!), I ended up writing while my son was watching TV, a decision I still regret.

So if your kids aren’t in school yet and you’re running a home-based business, look for a consistent and reliable form of childcare, even if it means trading playdates with a friend.

4. Let go of something. Chances are, you were a busy mom before you even started your business. Or maybe you were a busy entrepreneur before you became a mother. Either way, when you add a new responsibility, you have to leave out something else. Nobody is going to do this for you. You have to be the one to change priorities and reduce activities and obligations that no longer seem to fit.

5. Don’t compromise on sleep. Remember when your baby was born and the doctor told you to make sure you nap every time the baby slept? Of course you were thinking about all the dirty clothes that needed to be washed and the fact that you hadn’t showered all day. But if you were smart, you took a nap. Because you knew that a grumpy mommy is no use to anyone.

The same is true now. If you’re burning midnight oil because you can only work on your business while the kids are sleeping, stop right now. Lack of sleep will catch up with you and you will find yourself sick and unhappy. I can tell you from experience: it’s not worth it. You’ll be a better business mom if you sleep well.

6. Hold a weekly planning meeting. Ever had one of those days where you were busy all day but have no idea what you did? This happens when we are not clear about our priorities. We jump from one thing to the next without completing anything. And we get distracted by a seemingly worthwhile task (like cleaning the fridge) only to avoid doing what really needs to be done (like completing a project for a client).

The solution? A weekly planning meeting: One of the best productivity tips for mom-to-bes. Take 30 minutes at the beginning of the week to set your top priorities for the week. This is not about writing a “to do” list. This is an opportunity for you to focus on your goals for your business, your family, and even yourself. Make a list of all the recurring activities you do such as marketing, content creation, phone calls, errands, meal prep, house cleaning, errands, carpooling, bill paying, etc. Then go through the list each week and identify your goals and tasks for the week so you can schedule them on the calendar.

7. Get out of the house. This is difficult for many moms with young children. After all, one of the reasons we choose a home business is because we want to be home with our families. But when you’re running a business in a vacuum, it can be a bit lonely.

One of my mentors says, “An hour in front of an audience is worth six months behind a desk.” While there are many connections that start online, real relationships still develop in person. So make it part of your regular schedule to attend local meetings, conferences, or networking events where you can meet with clients, colleagues, and mentors to support you on your journey. Not only will you make new friends, but the fresh air and change of scenery will be good for you!

What are your favorite tips for working from home?