Well, I’m still surrounded by boxes, though not as much as I was on Monday, masha’Allah. The first week in our new city (well, old city for me since it’s where I grew up) has been one big blur of running errands to get things we need for the house and buy last minute school supplies just in time for the kid’s first day of school on Monday.  My goal was for us to be completely settled by Ramadhan, but it didn’t work out that way. I completely underestimated everything we needed to do to get here in time. That means I ended up taking more time away from my businesses than I’d hoped.  I suppose I didn’t plan this move as well as I’d intended.

Still, I’m much more settled into our new space than I was this past Monday. The kitchen, bathrooms, our clothes and my office are completely unpacked. Monday when the kids start school, I’ll be getting back to work, insha’Allah.

In the midst of all this chaos I don’t want to lose sight of the fact that we are celebrating the month of Ramadhan. Although I will continue working and my children will be starting school, our spiritual obligations are a priority. Taking time away from work is not an option for me this year. Working from home makes it easier to create an environment that allows me to keep Allah first. Here are some tips that can help you organize your spiritual priorities around your home-based business.

Plan your work schedule

Ideally you’ve done this before the start of Ramadhan. Some work at home Muslimahs don’t follow a set schedule for work. It could become a problem during Ramadhan. Setting an eating schedule for your family and work hours will make it much easier to remain disciplined during the long days spent fasting, and prevent delays in breaking fast and serving meals.

Inform customers/clients of any changes in working hours

This is especially important if you are planning to drastically reduce your working hours and work with non-Muslims who may not be familiar with Ramadhan. Make sure to inform all customers of any changes that may affect them (e.g. order/delivery, response to inquiries, etc.).

Plan all meals for the month

Meal planning saves so much time because it eliminates the guesswork of what to serve. Planning ahead what to prepare each day for suhoor and iftar will make it a much smoother process. If you’re thinking of hosting an iftar during Ramadhan, plan ahead as much as possible. You may also find it helpful to cook certain foods in advance. I used to be a big fan of month long cooking. It was pretty simple – just plan each meal, create a grocery list based on the meals you need to prepare, and then spend a weekend cooking and freezing. I did this before I had each of my children to simplify meal planning with a newborn in the house. Plan a couple of meals that can freeze well and make double the amount.

Schedule time to volunteer

If your goal is to volunteer in any way durining Ramadhan, don’t leave it up to chance that you’ll find the time. Plan the day(s) in your schedule just as you would schedule a doctor’s appointment, and then commit to following through with your plans.

Do you do anything different with your home business during the month of Ramadhan?