Attempting to work from home with kids is uncharted territory for many of us.
Many people are trying to figure out how to work from home for the first time. As if wifi problems and trying to find a comfy place to work aren’t difficult enough, most of us now have to juggle getting work done and watching our children at the same time.
It hasn’t been easy trying to find that balance, but we have some tips that hopefully will help!
Communicate with your kids (and your coworkers) the “new rules”
This is an exercise in expectation setting – and that goes both for your children and your coworkers.
When it comes to your children, if you haven’t already, sit them down and try your best to explain to them what “work” is. Remember, to this point, they don’t really have an understanding of how you go to work and what your responsibilities are. It’s important for them to know what the average day is going to look like right away and understand what is expected of them. It might take a little before those new rules really sink in, so make sure that you exercise patience the best that you can, but these new rules will eventually take hold and things will start to get easier.
When it comes to your boss and coworkers, we have good news… They are all likely going through the same problem. Everyone is trying to set the right expectations and figure out how they are going to structure their days. Take the time and set those new rules and expectations with them as well and even take the time to mark on your calendar when you will be taking breaks or if you will be starting work early or late.
Set a schedule and stick to it
Speaking of calendars, setting a schedule has never been more important. In order to make working from home with your kids as easy as possible, you should try and make every day as close to the same as possible. For younger kids, that means trying to structure naps and meals as close to the same time every day. For the older ones, many schools have been switching to e-learning, but if they haven’t, taking their school day and using it as a template might be a great way to transition into this new schedule. Whatever that schedule is, make sure you stick to it and start feeling comfortable saying “no” when someone wants you to switch it up.
Forget everyone else – Find what works for YOU
No matter what schedule you decide to set, just remember that you are allowed to do what is best for you and your family. Just because everyone is doing something a certain way doesn’t mean that you need to do it that way too. If you are a morning person, get up a little early to get some work in. Night owl? Also a great time to get a little extra time working. Maybe you would rather get most of your work done on the weekends so you can spend more time with the kids during the week. Not everywhere is quite that flexible, but if you have that option available to you, make sure you take advantage and do whatever is best for YOU!
Try to see the bright side
We would be lying to you if we said that this was going to be a piece of cake all the time. There are going to be times where you get frustrated, mad, and overall feel stressed and exhausted. But in those moments, realize that you are getting to watch your child grow up right before your eyes. Many times, children hit milestones like crawling and walking at daycare, out of the eyes of parents. You now have the unique opportunity to watch every milestone be met and watch your child develop. There is no better feeling than watching your child do something for the first time. And now you get to see them all!
Remember, all of us parents are trying to figure this out together. Make sure you reach out to other parents and see what they are doing to help you along. Just remember that you are not alone and that we will all get through this! 🙂
