When I left my corporate gig to become a work-at-home mom 3 years ago, I knew I was entering new and unfamiliar territory. Something in my gut told me that it was entirely possible – despite what many of my colleagues and professional acquaintances believed – and that it was the right thing for my family. But I didn’t really know where to begin.
Actually, that’s not true. I had no trouble starting my business. I wrote my business plan, set up an LLC, had my logo and business cards designed, and had my website designed and built. I knew what my services were; I knew who my audience was; and I knew who I needed to network with.
But when it came to actually doing work from home, balancing work with family life, and doing it all in a healthy and sustainable way, I was pretty clueless.
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I went through many tough spots because I didn’t have any (or didn’t know of any) resources or guides to help me along.
But it doesn’t have to happen that way.
I had the opportunity to review the eBook, How to be a Work-at-Home Mom: The Happily Ever After Guide to Leading the WAHM Life, by Prerna Malik. Prerna is a pro WAHM. When I came across her site The Mom Writes, I was thrilled at all the advice and tips for being a WAHM all in one place! So when I was presented with the opportunity to review the update of her eBook, I was all over it.
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this eBook to write an honest review. This is not a paid review; all opinions and text are my own.
This eBook is a wonderful resource for moms who are starting out on their work-at-home journey, and it is also great for seasoned WAHMs who are feeling a little out of balance. The best thing about this eBook is that it doesn’t just address how to actually do work and stay focused on your work as a WAHM. It also offers advice on dealing with WAHM-guilt, feeling overwhelmed and/or isolated, and carving out time for yourself.
What You’ll Get:
Straightforward advice on getting started as a WAHM: finding the right opportunity for you, start-up financial topics, and setting up your workspace.
Steps to building a support system: setting up your own cheerleading squad, connecting with other WAHMs, dealing with overwhelm and WAHM guilt, and what to do when you feel isolated.
Simple yet effective tips for balancing work and home life: productivity tips for getting more done during work hours, home management methods that help you keep your home running smooth and organized, ideas for keeping kids engaged, and advice for making time to take care of yourself.
Advice for building your business: explanations of five different styles of pitching to clients and tips for free ways to grow your business.
Testimonials from real Work-at-Home Moms.
Finally, the WAHM Toolkit, which includes a printable brainstorming worksheet, 50 work-at-home ideas, and access to tons of other useful tools!
What I love:
Each chapter ends with a “Reminder to Yourself” section. These are great little summaries of the chapter that make it easy to go back and quickly remember the lesson. They also work like a short to-do list, giving you actionable tips that you can start using right away.
This guide touches on every aspect of being a Work-at-Home Mom. Working at home isn’t just about what you get paid to do. For most WAHMs, working at home is about having the ability to spend more time with your kids and have more time to manage your home a certain way. How to Be a Work at Home Mom offers advice on both of those topics and more.
The tips for building your own support system. As a natural introvert, I tend to forget the importance of connecting with others. In this book, Prerna talks about various types of connections a WAHM needs, such as your own personal cheerleading squad, mentors, and other WAHMs. It is easy to become discouraged and feel isolated, but with these tips you can overcome those challenges.
The verdict:
How to be a Work-at-Home Mom is a fantastic book for the mom thinking about making the leap to a work-at-home career and for the WAHM who is just starting out. I know my first couple of years would have been a little easier with the advice in this book. A more seasoned WAHM will probably not benefit so much from the chapters on setting up a work-at-home business or starting out in a work-at-home job. But she could certainly benefit from the chapters about growing your business, dealing with WAHM guilt and overwhelm, and tips for connecting with other WAHMs. And any mom can benefit from the home management tips.
How to be a Work-at-Home Mom retails for $19. Click here to view more details.
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Are you a WAHM? What are your best tips? Have you read this eBook? Did you find it helpful?
Little bits of granola 
Very interesting!