How to Not Suck at Working From Home With Kids

With the spread of the coronavirus, schools have been forced to close across the country and a large number of people are working for home. Since kids demand attention at all times, juggling calls, emails, and work deadlines while taking care of them full time can be very stressful. This is uncharted territory for a lot of families so many are spending this quarantine period experimenting to find the right pattern that works for them. In this article, we will discuss some tips parents can use to successfully work from home while taking care of kids.

Wake up before the Kids

As the saying says, “The early bird gets the worm”, you want to wake up before your kids to get started on your work priorities. This way, you can schedule your work itinerary before the kids wake up, and you can fit in different tasks (both work and home tasks) all through the day. The key is to focus more on the tasks accomplished than the hours you work.

Develop a schedule

It is essential that you carefully line up your day with tasks you want to accomplish from calls you want to return to activities for the kids. If you work smarter, you’ll get more work done because working from home gives many people the flexibility to set their hours. Most employers understand the situation most employees are navigating so as long as the job is done, they don’t care for traditional work hours. You just need to have a conversation with your employer to get them on the same page with you.

Division of labor

For households where the parents are both working, dividing and conquering can be the best way to go. Both parents can set work calendars to complement one another. This way, one parent is always available to solve any issues while the other successfully gets work done.

Utilize Naptime

Naptime is very important as it helps parents stay productive while working from home without interruptions. You can use nap time to finish up work assignments that need your complete attention. It is essential that you incorporate naps into your kids’ schedules, trust me, you’ll need it.

Set Boundaries

Setting clear boundaries is another way you can successfully work from home. If you have a home office, you can make it clear that a shut door means no interruptions. It might take some time for this to become successful as everyone including the kids are in new territory so cut them some slack. The best thing is to expect these interruptions so you can plan for it.

Keep the Kids Busy

If your kids are entertained, you can have free time to do your work successfully without any interruptions. Most schools are running online classes so if your kids are busy, you can use that time to perform other tasks. Working while your kids are working is one of the ideal ways to not suck at working from home.

Wrapping It Up

Working from home with kids is new to a number of people so try not to be too hard on yourself if it is not working as successfully as you hoped. You can test these tips out and tweak them to fit your household.