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How to work from home with kids is less challenging with a good plan and set-up
The level of difficulty of working from home with kids entirely depends on their age group. A teething toddler may prove more challenging than one in a learning stage. However, it’s not impossible.
After nearly a year of families locked up within four walls, you may have found a solution unique to you for how to work from home with kids. But with the new normal continuing to be a reality for the near future, here are some hacks on working from home with kids that will come in handy. Also, pictures of home offices will inspire you to visualise your workspace for the most efficient days of working from home with kids.
Establishing The Work Zone To Ease Working From Home With Kids
You may think that all you need is a table and chair to get started with your workday at home. But setting up a dedicated workspace is more important than you think, especially when you’re working from home with kids. The first step to making how to work from home with kids easier is identifying a space where you will spend your work hours.
This helps you mentally disconnect personal time from work time and establishes ‘work zone’ boundaries for your kids. Soon, they will understand that this is where mommy or daddy works, so they know to maintain silence around the space or generally keep away from it. Invest in a kid’s version of a workspace or study table for them in their room. When they have an area of their own for homework, they can identify and feel more encouraged to respect your workspace.
It’s All About Planning Working From Home With Kids
Spending some time to develop a strategic plan that is compatible with all family members goes a long way in making your work from home experience more productive. Here’s a hack for working parents on how to work from home with kids.
Take your child’s routine as the starting point, and adapt your and your partner’s schedule around it. Like it or not, when you’re a parent, your day revolves around the whims of your child. So, it’s best to adapt your schedule to theirs than the other way around.
Look For The ‘Quiet’ Time Slots To Make Working From Home With Kids Effective
When you’re working from home with kids, the time slots when your child is occupied in other activities are the most precious and the ones you should look out for. Chart out the hours they’re sleeping, taking a nap, engaged in school activities and playtime. These are the ‘quiet’ time slots that you can reserve for the most focus-intense tasks of your day.
By now, employers, managers and colleagues have become more empathetic of each other’s routines and personal life responsibilities. You can request virtual meetings to be scheduled in the ‘quiet’ time slots available to you. Colleagues understand the challenges of working parents, making how to work from home with kids a tad bit easier.
Align Mechanical Tasks With Supervision To Make Working From Home With Kids More Impactful
Some professional tasks may not require your full attention or mental capacity. A significant portion of the workday is spent checking emails, replying to correspondence, filing paperwork or scanning presentations and reports. Work smarter when you’re working from home with kids by reserving these tasks for the parts of the day when you know your kid will require supervision or attention.
Working Parents Have To Be Early Birds For Working From Home With Kids More Productively
There’s nothing like being a working parent to turn you into an early bird. Most parents will swear by the early hours of quiet before the day’s hustle begins. When you’re working from home with kids, these hours may be your best opportunities to catch up.
If you’re a workaholic, you may use these extra hours for work. But if your work hours are comfortable, you could use the early hours for me-time, fitness, hobbies or chores.
Make Time For Quality Time For Working From Home With Kids Seamlessly
When you’re working from home with kids, it’s easy to forget about making separate time to spend with your kids. Now that you’re in the house more than outside, you may think that qualifies as time spent with kids, but it’s not the same.
If you have structured work hours, make sure you slot time for the kids at the end of the workday. In case your work hours are flexible, identify hours that can be spent solely with the kids. A significant advantage of working from home with kids is you can have your meals together. Ensure no screens at mealtimes to squeeze in quality family time despite your busy routines.
These are some tips to make the life of a parent working from home with kids easier. How to work from home with kids is a constant learning experience that ends up teaching you how to be flexible and patient. It could prove to be a time of learning for your kids too. This is perhaps the first time children are seeing their parents engaged in work from such close quarters for such a long time. If your child is of a learning age, you could also use this time to impart essential life skills.
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