There are a lot of benefits to running your own business. As a freelance writer, I get to set my own hours, choose my own assignments and determine my pay rate. I’m also my own boss, and have no other employees to worry about. All in all, it’s pretty great.

I work from home, which means that I have to juggle my work time with my mommy time. There is really no room for overlap. My one year-old isn’t big on sharing attention – she prefers the undivided variety. As a result, my working hours generally revolve around her napping and sleeping schedule.  This works well, in theory, but in reality there are other things that demand attention when my daughter is sleeping. Basic things, like showering, doing laundry and making dinner, are often put on the back burner; but there is usually time to catch up on the weekends.

The problem I’m facing right now, however, is summer vacation. My husband is a teacher, which is great because he has summers off from school. This summer he will paint part time, but mostly take over the role of primary caregiver for the baby. Unfortunately, with the arrival of summer is the advent of a whole other commitment level, one I wasn’t aware existed until I had a child.

We live in a place where other people vacation. Consequently, there is a steady stream of visitors clamoring for our time, or, more appropriately, a chance to see the baby. In addition, because the summer here in New England is very short, many of our friends and family like to pack the days with get-togethers, parties and barbecues. All of this is fantastic, and admittedly they are the things that once made me love summer. But right now, all I can do is look forward to July. That’s when I’m planning to take my work vacation.

Don’t be confused – I don’t want a vacation from work. I want a vacation where I actually get to do some work. Right now I squeeze in my writing during time when I should be sleeping. On my work vacation, I will work during the day (a novel concept for me), and sleep at night – or at least until my daughter decides to wake up for the first time.

Many work-at-home moms, I think, face similar situations. You start out with a plan, set your work hours, and get your family to abide by your schedule. But slowly, as life gets busier, you start sacrificing small parts of your work-time to meet obligations. A graduation party, a fishing trip, a last hurrah for something or other. Next thing you know you are pureeing carrots while typing on your laptop.

Work-at-home moms are champion multi-taskers – but we shouldn’t have to be. Because when we multi-task (which, according to a recent study only two and a half percent of people do effectively), we are not giving our best to anyone – our families or our jobs.

This is why a work vacation may be a good jump-start to reassert your needs as a working woman and parent, not someone who dabbles at a job on the side when she’s not feeding the baby.

Keep in mind, you don’t have to go far away for your work vacation. Stay in your home office if you have one, or head to your local library or coffee shop. But get out of the house for a bit, and re-establish that separation of your work life from your role as a mom. Only then, can you truly be at your best.

Happy vacation everyone!