For many people, working from home is a dream come true. You get to spend more time at home, you don’t have to commute, and you get to spend more time with your family when work from home with kids.
But there are some less-than-ideal realities on the other side, particularly for parents juggling work and childcare: difficulty focusing; having to juggle work with looking after children and, in some cases, homeschooling them; blurry lines between work and personal time; and kids lobbying for your undivided attention when you need to GSD.
On the less glamorous WFH (work from home) days, you may feel as if you haven’t accomplished anything and have been a lousy parent. It is possible to juggle job and child care, but it will necessitate a shift in expectations and working approaches.
Here are some of our top ideas for parents working from home to make your remote work from home with kids situation more functional.
Concentrate on the positives
Although some parents choose to work from home, others have been forced to conform to this new reality.
This position has its own set of obstacles, but we can all benefit from working from home, whether it’s to skip the daily commute, spend more time with family, be home for dinner, or be closer to the refrigerator.
It won’t always be easy, but focusing on the positives (and reminding yourself of what you’re trying to avoid at work) can go a long way toward alleviating stress.
Adjust your schedule
Adults, like children, thrive on routines and operate more efficiently when they have one.
Having a WFH routine allows us to stay focused and avoid productivity lulls caused by multitasking or dealing with continual interruptions.
Create a morning routine and stick to it as much as possible to give your day more structure and predictability. When it’s time to get up, do so and prepare for the day as if you were heading to the office. Then go to your home office, or whatever you call it, and get yourself in the mood to work.
Know when to switch off
It’s never been tougher to strike a work-life balance. While many people extol the benefits of working from home, you may find yourself feeling like you’re always at work. That is why knowing when to turn it off is so important.
When it comes to creating a daily routine as a parent, you’ll almost certainly need to allow for some flexibility. Even so, it’s critical to designate a time when you can firmly declare that you’re done for the day. This naturally necessitates some self-discipline and setting clear expectations with your team, but clear limits are necessary to keep stress at bay.
Short spurts of work are best
Parents of babies and toddlers have it tougher than others because they can’t be left alone.
If you’re in charge of childcare, your best option might be to work in short spurts when you have the time, such as when the kids are sleeping.
If you’re fortunate enough to be able to focus on business while your partner takes care of the kids at home, create a schedule that allows you to come out of your office and help now and then, rather than locking yourself away all day.
Above all, don’t expect to be able to smoothly and successfully balance everything all of the time. Look for ways to make your work life easier, but be gentle to yourself when things don’t go as per your plan. If things are getting too much for you to handle, try taking some time off if you can, and remember to prioritise self-care as well. For many people, this is a stressful circumstance, so it’s critical to focus on your well-being and recognise your limits.