walaykum As Salam warahmatullahi wabarakatu,
This is a very good question Masha-Allah. I hope that it will generate some helpful responses for all of us. I am certainly not an expert in this area and I am not among the people of knowledge so please understand that some of the things I say will be based on personal experiences.
First of all, we should remind ourselves that work is Ibadah provided we do it with sincerity and according to the sunnah. We have to do our best to stay away from the haram and stick to what is permissible Insha-Allah.
Currently I work from home responding to suicide crisis calls and Alhamdulillah, it has not interefered with my ability to pray, read, learn (mostly online) and take care of the children. Plus, I do not have to worry about my attire so much because I don't meet any of the clients I assist over the phone. I work during the day till 6:00pm and I deliberately chose these hours so that I can dedicate my time to the children when they come home from school.
I am also currently enrolled in a Teaching program startinng september whereby I will attain a degree and certification in teaching elementary school Insha-Allah. I do have some prior teaching experience in an Islamic School and Alhamdulillah it did not conflict with my daily obligations- for example, the school was attached to a mosque and we always took breaks for prayers and juma Alhamdulillah.
However, once I am licensed, there is a possibilty that I could work in a regular Public school. I will be training in the public school system insha-Allah and so I may be facing the same challenges that you are facing and will have to take these reminders as useful tips.
The main philosophy here is plan everything around Islam and do not plan Islam around everything. That being said, we have to learn how to prioritize and stick to it Insha-Allah.
For instance, we all know that we have to guard the salah no matter what. This means engaging in better preparation or altering a few things to ensure that we do not compromise the salah in any manner.
Some things you can do are:
1. Make a schedule for work and home where you ensure your salah is performed on time and set fixed times for reading the quran, gaining knowledge etc.
2. Do not schedule appointments and meetings during times that conflict with salah times.
3. If you know that some of your work may involve mandatory engagements that conflict with your salah time frames then talk to your employer/clients ahead of time and inform them that you will be leaving for a few minutes and arrange coverage during that time. This will not be an issue (Insha-Allah).
4. Whenever you get a few moments at work or at home, like in between clients, during your break or when the children are sleeping, use it to do something beneficial like reading the quran or gaining some knowledge Insha-Allah.
5. If you are a mother like me, then understand that our responsibility with respect to our children and household takes precedence over our work. So when you are home with them, focus 100% on them to ensure that they are also on top of their priorities (e.g. salah, quran, academics) and that they are getting the required nurturance from you. The same goes for the hubby
And if you find that there may be times when you are running late from work or away from home, then arrange to have someone reliable and trustworthy to look after the children (preferably a practicing muslim who is nurturing, can ensure that the children are doing what is expected of them and who can be a positive influence on them).
6. Set up a strong support system (like family, in-laws, other sisters in the community) to help you cope with some of life's challenges.
7. If you find that you are making compromises when it comes to your acts of worship (whether its salah, hijab, your role as a wife and mother, avoiding freemixing or any other haram activities etc), then you might want to consider cutting back some hours (i.e. working part-time) or changing employers or careers.
A reminder for myself first and then everyone else: Plan everything around Islam and not the other way around Insha-Allah
I can't come up with anything else for now but If I do remember anything else, I will let you know Insha-Allah.
Jazaka Allahu Kheiran Sister
Insha-Allah