Best Resources for Work at Home Moms

Whether you are currently working from home or just hoping to create a home-based income, there are definitely some tools out there that can help you out. In the beginning, as a new work at home mom, I tried to do everything myself and I not only wasted a lot of time trying to figure things out that weren’t things I either enjoyed or was good at, I wasted a lot of money.

Those both led to some serious work at home mom burnout.

As a work at home mom, you don’t have coworkers (usually) to be part of your team so you are on your own. You have to be smart about your time and the resources you use to help you.

As a mom who has worked at home for almost 13 years now and now supports my family of 8 by blogging and by selling LipSense, I’ve put together some of my favorite resources for work at home moms for you. These will help you have a simpler, happier work day and avoid work at home mom burnout.

Website Design Resources for Work at Home Moms

Whether you are starting a blog to monetize or using a blog as a platform for your work at home business, nearly all work at home businesses require a website.

BlueHost – I recommend new bloggers/website owners start with BlueHost because they have amazing customer support and plans start at only $3.95 a month. Not sure how to set up a new hosting account? We walk you through the process of starting your blog here.

Bloggers HelpDesk – As a new blogger, I attempted to do everything myself. It caused a lot of frustration and a lot of wasted time. Now I use Bloggers Helpdesk and it is a lifesaver. Plans start at only $9 a month and Sarah is always quick to solve any problems that come up. As a new blogger, this is the first plan I would sign up for as soon as you have your hosting account set up.

StudioPress – Once you have your hosting account set up and WordPress installed (see instructions for that here), you’ll need a WordPress theme. I have used the Genesis Framework from StudioPress for years because I know that they aren’t going to have any strange coding errors and their themes are all easy to customize. Once you have the Genesis Framework, you can use it as is or you can add a child theme to make it look prettier (see below).

Pretty Darn Cute Designs – These guys make adorable child themes for Genesis (they actually made my theme). What I really love about these themes is how customizable they are and how much support there is to help you get your theme looking exactly the way you want it to.

Restored 316 Designs – These are also child themes for Genesis (I really just love their framework) and I would have chosen one of their themes if I hadn’t gone with the one I did. Right now they have my top pick for a project I’m working on so I’m sure I’ll try one of their themes out soon. They have gorgeous, feminine WordPress themes so if you are looking for something pretty, these guys have you covered.

Home Office Products for Work at Home Moms

Autonomous ErgoChair 2 – I’ve had a lot of back issues in the last few years, partially thanks to spending a lot of time working at my desk. I’ve tried all kinds of solutions for seating at my desk and the one that has stuck is the Autonomous ErgoChair 2. This chair is so adjustable and has features that you typically only see on $1000 chairs. I love that I can adjust the chair just the way I like it and I haven’t had issues with my back preventing me from working since switching to this chair.

Venta Airwasher – As a work at home mom, I spend a lot of time inside my home. I try to keep my environment as healthy as I can (being in control of my environment and office space is a HUGE perk of being a work at home mom). Because I deal with serious allergies and we have family members with asthma, I try and keep dust and allergens down to a minimum. That’s why I’m absolutely obsessed with my Venta Airwasher. This is an air purifier/humidifier/essential oil diffuser in one. It clears everything from dust to bacteria from your air (check out all the things it cleans from your air here).

Not only have our allergies cleared up completely but we haven’t been getting sick as often (and what work at home mom has time to get sick?).

Ring Video Doorbell – One of the downsides of working from home can be dealing with a lot of interruptions. Especially during the summer months, I find that my doorbell is ringing constantly. Most of the time people don’t realize that I am working but getting up to answer the door multiple times during my workday is frustrating . . . especially when someone is trying to sell me something. A Ring Video Doorbell lets you “answer” your door from your desk or not answer it at all if you can tell the person ringing your doorbell is a solicitor.

When the doorbell rings, a video pops up on your phone showing you who is there. you can choose to answer the door, ignore it, talk to the person through the doorbell, or yell for someone else in your family to go open it if you know the person is there to see them.

Fitness products for Work at home moms

Finding time to work out when you are juggling parenting, housework, and work responsibilities can be next to impossible. When I’m done for the day, the last thing I want to do is hit the gym. These products help you get your exercise in during your work day so you don’t have to sacrifice your free time to the gym.

FitDesk – I’m a big fan of multitasking, at least when you can do it without interfering with either task. The very first purchase I made for my home office was my FitDesk and it was the best purchases I could of made. I spend a good portion of my day working and that was not only causing a lot of back pain but it was making me gain weight (blogger butt is a very real thing . . . ). My FitDesk lets me pedal on the bike as I work. I go slowly when I’m doing a task that requires more concentration and faster when I’m working through one of the mindless tasks that’s on my to-do list (can we say Pinterest scheduling . . . ).

I’ll often keep my FitDesk on my back patio so I can work outside during nice weather. It does an amazing job of breaking up my workday and lets me hang out near my family when I’m not working on anything that requires all my concentration. My FitDesk is cheaper than a gym membership and helps me get a workout in while I work my way through my to-do list.

VariDesk – Sitting at a desk all day does horrible things to your back. I never had back problems until I became a full-time work at home mom. I find that I hunch over at my desk and when I get up for the day my back muscles ache. Getting up and walking around often helps with this but what makes the biggest difference for me is using a standing desk. The VariDesk is the ultimate standing desk and is a must-have for any work at home mom who spends a lot of time working at a desk. It goes up and down within seconds and gives you the perfect work surface, whether you want to sit or stand.

Between this and my FitDesk, I have lots of options while I’m working and it prevents me from being stuck in one position during the day.

Fitbit – One of the biggest issues I found when I first started working from home was that I’d get so caught up in working that I’d forget to move during the day. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to exercise. More often than not, I’d just not realize how long I’d been sitting. A Fitbit is a great way to keep track of your daily activity and make sure you are getting the movement into your day that you need . . . even if that means just running up and down the stairs during breaks in your workday.

Grokker – Driving to the gym and exercising is just not something I have the time (or desire for) after working at home for the day. I need to exercise to feel my best though so I keep things simple. I’m in love with my Grokker membership. I firmly believe that every work at home mom needs this in their life. It’s simply the most affordable way to stay on top of your health when you work from home. Not only do they have amazing yoga videos for all skill levels (and yoga is the perfect way to decompress after your workday) they also have meditation videos, cooking videos and more so you can really tackle your overall health.

The best part is, you can get a totally free 14 day trial so you can try it out before you commit. Sign up HERE.

Books for Work at Home Moms

Eat That Frog (21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time) – If you only read one book as a work at home mom, read this one. Eat That Frog gives you actionable tips that you can use to get more done in less time. As someone who is terrible about delegating, this book really opened my eyes to what was possible if I focused on the core action items of my work. I listened to the audible version (because #busy) but I got so much out of it. I credit this book with increasing my income and giving me back some free time in my life. 

The Fringe Hours – From fellow blogger Jessica Turner, The Fringe Hours is a must-read for every busy mom, especially if you work from home. While not specifically business related, this book focuses on helping you find time for yourself. It’s so easy to lose yourself as a work at home mom. There are so many things fighting for your attention. Giving yourself the space you need to just be you every day will not only make you a better work at home mom, it will make you a better person.

Rich Dad Poor Dad – I’m a big fan of making your money work for you. With so many things on my plate, I need my work time to be as effective as I can. Rich Dad Poor Dad will change the way you think about money and help you transition from an employee mentality to a wealth building mentality.

The 4-Hour Work Week – Are you noticing a theme here? The 4-Hour Work Week focuses on helping you live more and work less. Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it? I’m convinced that every work at home mom should be maximizing their time. We choose to work at home so that we’d have more time with our families and more time for our own passions. Give yourself that time by working effectively and carving out time when you aren’t tied to your desk.

Do you have resources or products you use that simplify your life as a work at home mom?

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