23 Apr Working from Home Tips (with Kids at Home!)
Switching up a work routine proves difficult enough on an average day. However, with the COVID-19 pandemic and shutdowns, our work and home lives are now colliding like never before. Working from home with children around the house can be accomplished with a few simple tips and tricks. Here’s how to stay sane and productive:
Create Separate Spaces
For the majority of us, home life was separate from work and school life. Everyone had their own space in the home to kick back after a long day. Now that most of us are bringing work and school to the home front, we have to reinvent the space within our homes.
Make sure children have a homeschool or play area that is all their own. Invite them to arrange the furniture, stock the desk with their favorite craft supplies, or make a comfy reading area with fluffy pillows and blankets. By letting them have creative control over their new “classroom”, they’ll be more enticed to spend time there, away from your home office.
Set up your workstation in a quiet place with plenty of natural light. If your home doesn’t have an extra bedroom to work out of, make room in a corner of the kitchen or living room. Ensure you have plenty of space to work and have easy access to your children’s home school zone.
Stick to a Routine
We are all stuck between this temporary waiting period and trying to get on with our regular lives. Create a new routine that melds your old morning tasks with the new normal. Have your kids wake up at a certain time each weekday, get dressed, and perform their typical morning tasks before starting school or playtime. Children and adults thrive with routines and knowing what to expect each morning will help kick the day into gear.
Schedule Together Time
Children will want to spend time together now that everyone is home during the day. Make sure they understand that you both have necessary tasks to accomplish each day before you can relax together. Schedule a time during the middle of the day to take a break together and read, go for a walk, or dance to their favorite song. Both of you will benefit from this much needed break and the chance to embrace this new routine, together.
Overcommunicate with Coworkers and Family
Upending our daily routines invites stress and chaos into our lives. To ensure this doesn’t bleed over into work or family life, make sure you’re overcommunicating with those around you. If disaster strikes at home, let your colleagues know that you’ll be away from the desk for a few hours. Likewise, if you need your partner to be present for the children during an important conference call, make sure they are aware of their responsibilities at that time. It may seem redundant, but overcommunication can help mitigate tension, arguments, and frustration both at work and at home.
This is a new frontier many of us have to brave, and oftentimes, it proves trying and stressful. Keep in mind that with a few simple hacks, working from home with kids will be much easier. Once you get into a rhythm and everyone steps into these new multi-faceted roles, daily life will balance out and continue, business as usual.
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