This post brought to you by Holiday Inn Express. The content and opinions expressed below are that of Andrea’s Notebook.

Working from home sounds so great. Sleeping in, working in your pajamas, showering optional. But when it comes down to it, working from home can have so many challenges that you don’t anticipate. Juggling parenting, working and keeping a home is tough for anyone. But when they all collide, it becomes especially difficult. I’ve been running my own business from home for the past 4 years and it’s great, most of the time. 

But there are times it is definitely not great. Like those days when there are 5 loads of laundry to be done so you keep stopping your work to rotate laundry, even though you know you should leave it. But you can’t, because it’s there. Or those days you start work later than you wanted to because SOME PEOPLE didn’t clean up after themselves in the morning. Add in those times when the kids are home as well and it makes the matter even more complicated. Or maybe you’ve got a spouse at home who wants to chat. It’s hard to find a great balance and can be a bit crazy making, at times.  And the worst part? You can never leave your home OR your office! You can’t pack up and say, “I’ll do that later.” Because it’s always there!

My solution? Get away every now and then. Go by yourself, take a friend or your spouse! Take advantage of Snoozapalooza at Holiday Inn Express through December 18th!

5 Reasons Every Work at Home Parent Needs a Night Away

1. You need a break. You are never away from work, the home or the family responsibilities. According to a recent study, Americans have developed a “work martyr complex.” 35% of people feel overwhelmed but don’t take time off of work. When you apply that to the work-at-home parent, it gets compounded. Parents feel like they can’t take a break from their kids (they feel guilt, or even that they’re not good parents if they do) and they feel like they can’t take time off of work. Taking a break is not only healthy but necessary. Kids need healthy and happy parents! So kiss that stressful work at home situation goodbye for the night and get out of the office! You are not a work martyr! Take a day to get away and do zero dishes, zero laundry, zero refereeing. 

2. You can eat in peace. Bring a book. Read while you eat. Or just stare at out the window. Enjoy a relaxing late breakfast with no stress! Do whatever you like! I recently took a one night solo break to a local Holiday Inn Express. We do a lot of family traveling and can always count on the Holiday Inn Expresses to be clean, comfortable and spacious. And I knew that right now they’re having #snoozapalooza so I could sleep in!

You guys, it was awesome. I kicked up my heels and watched C-Span in bed and nobody complained! Then I slept in and had a late pancake breakfast and didn’t have to cut up anyone else’s pancakes. Sweet! And the best thing about the late breakfast is there are 30+ options. It’s not a lame-o continental breakfast. Fruit, yogurt, oatmeal, hard boiled eggs, sausage, biscuits, all those cereals you don’t let your kids eat (I ate Fruit Loops). And don’t miss the pancake machine!

3. You can accomplish more when you’re out of your home. It’s true. I took my notebook and a little work and was able to get way more done because I didn’t have the pressures of home to deal with. So 3 hours of work was 3 hours of work. It wasn’t 20 minutes of dishes, 40 minutes of meal prep and 2 hours of work.

4. You can take a long shower and nobody will interrupt you. It’s true. It happened to me. No interruptions. 

5. You can sleep in. It’s not a myth. It’s possible to sleep past 6:30 a.m. If you’re anything like me, you don’t get enough sleep. So pull those room darkening curtains closed and sleep as late as you want! Holiday Inn Express has Snoozapalooza right now with late checkout at 12:00 p.m. through December 18, 2016. Woohoo! #staysmart

So to all you work from home parents, have you ever gone away for the night?? What’s stopping you?