Parenting Tips
Whether employed by an ?m?l???r ?r ??lf-?m?l???d, it d???n’t get dr??mi?r th?n being able to work from the comfort ?f ??ur h?m?, ??u get t? enjoy m?r? tim? in ??ur h?u??, you ?ut ?ut the ??mmut?, ?nd ??u g?t to ??? much m?r? of your family. H?w?v?r, w?rking fr?m h?m? h?? it? ?itf?ll?, th? f?r?m??t of which i? th?t ??u might find it diffi?ult t? juggl? b?tw??n d?ing ??ur w?rk ?nd t?king care of ??ur kids. W?rking fr?m h?m? ??n b? v?r? overwhelming ?t tim??, with ?r???ur? mounting fr?m both kids ?nd the ?ffi??, ?u????? requires a l?t of ??m?r?mi?? and patience on th? part ?f ??r?nt?. M?n? ??r?nt? especially those who liv? in ?iti??, d? n?t h?v? a l?t ?f ?xtr? space t? set u? a home ?ffi?? ?nd if working ??r?nt? d? n?t h?v? th? space ?r r???ur??? t? ??t u? ?n adequate workspace, their productivity undoubtedly suffers. Th?r?f?r?, ??r?nt? need t? strike a b?l?n?? b?tw??n ??r?nting ?nd th? office in other to k??? both ??rti?? happy, thi? article takes a closer look at some tips for balancing parenting and working from home.
Before the pandemic year, working parents (especially mothers) sought flexible jobs which made it possible for them to easily juggle their ??r??n?l ?nd professional responsibilities. Th?ugh, ??m? of th?m just wanted t? ?v?id the stress ?f getting t? th? ?ffi?? for th?ir 9-5. In 2020, th??? dr??m? ??m? tru? as th? global ??nd?mi? forced m?n? ?m?l???r? to instruct their ?m?l????? t? w?rk fr?m h?m? in ?th?r t? curb th? spread ?f th? n?v?l ??r?n?viru?. Th? ??nd?mi? ?l?? f?r??d many ??h??l? and d????r? centers to ?l???. W?rking ??r?nt? soon f?und th?m??lv?? trying t? figur? out h?w t? w?rk remotely whil? helping their children with the abrupt shift to virtual learning.
How can I work from home with kids?
S??nding more tim? ?t h?m? with th? f?mil? is ?n? of th? upsides ?f w?rking from home, but it ??m?? with challenges t??. It’? im??rt?nt to ??t?bli?h a ?l??r distinction between w?rk life ?nd f?mil? lif?. Ev?n a simple ‘?ui?t’ ?ign ?dditi?n ?n th? ?tud? d??r might di???ur?g? ??ur children fr?m bum?ing int? ??ur zoom calls ?r virtu?l meetings. If you can afford childcare, a ?hildmind?r ??n ensure your kid? r?m?in stimulated ?v?n if th??’r? n?t ?t ??h??l in th? d??tim?. W?rking fr?m h?m? with kid? i? n? easy feat, ?nd while ??u won’t b? ?bl? t? l??v? a b?b? unattended, a ?t?nding d??k ?n?ur?? you can concentrate on your work and help your partner with the occasional nappy change.
In our w?rld t?d??, m?d?rn t??hn?l?g? h?? m?d? r?m?t? w?rk a more r??li?ti? ????rtunit? th?n ?v?r b?f?r?. Th? Offi?? for N?ti?n?l Statistics reported th?t in ??ril 2020, during th? Covid-19 ??nd?mi?, 46.6% ?f UK w?rk?r? worked from h?m? at least ??m? of the time. Th?ugh, r?m?t? working is m?r? widespread these days, w?rking from h?m? with kids ju?t takes th? stress t? a diff?r?nt l?v?l. Num?r?u? studies have consistently showed th?t constant int?rru?ti?n? m?k? it harder f?r working ??r?nt? wh? ?r? w?rking fr?m home to find a w?rkfl?w th?t works for them. A? a r??ult, parents w?rking fr?m home t?nd t? ?truggl? with m??ting d??dlin?? and ??m?l?ting ?r?j??t? ?n tim?. To make your remote work more functional or at least less frustrating, here are some tips for balancing parenting and working from home.
Know When to Stop Working.
While many are ?ui?k to ?r?i?? th? virtues ?f working from home, it’s ???? to end u? f??ling lik? ??u’r? always ?t work. Th?t’? wh? it’s ?ru?i?l to kn?w wh?n t? ?wit?h ?ff. Though ?? parents, ?h?n??? are th?t ??u’ll n??d t? account for ??m? flexibility wh?n it comes t? dr?wing u? ??ur d?il? ??h?dul?. Still, it’? im??rt?nt to set a tim? wh?n you ??n ??nfid?ntl? ??? you’re fini?h?d f?r the d??. This naturally r??uir?? ??m? ??lf-di??i?lin? ?nd expectation ??tting with ??ur t??m, but ??u need to h?v? ?l??r b?und?ri?? t? k??? stress at bay.
Create a Work from Home Plan.
Just like kids, adults thrive ?n r?utin?? and w?rk much m?r? ?r?du?tiv?l? wh?n th?r? i? a w?rk plan. H?ving a w?rk-fr?m-h?m? r?utin? h?l?? to ?t?? focused ?nd ?v?id b?ttling ??n?t?nt interruptions or unnecessary multitasking. T? add m?r? ?r?di?t?bilit? to your day, ?r??t? a morning routine ?nd b? ?tri?t ?b?ut it wh?n?v?r ????ibl?. Wh?n it’? wake-up time, g?t u? ?nd ?r?? f?r the d?? ?? you w?uld b?f?r? g?ing to the ?ffi??. Th?n head t? ??ur home office, wh?t?v?r thi? l??k? lik? t? you, and get into a ?t?t? ?f mind f?r w?rk. To ??timiz? the rest ?f ??ur d??, ?dju?t ??ur work ??h?dul? t? ?ll?w f?r home lif?, wh?th?r thi? includes breaks to r?l?x or time to catch up on chores ?nd t?k? ?v?r childcare.
Schedule Meetings Wisely.
Almost every ??r?nt wh? works ?t home has a f?w unfortunate mishaps t? ?h?r?, it’? a g??d ?r??ti?? t? ?l?n f?r possible int?rru?ti?n? wh?n ??h?duling m??ting?, ?f ??ur??, th?t i?n’t ?lw??? going t? w?rk with free-roaming t?ddl?r?, in which ???? it ??n b? better t? ??h?dul? calls during th?ir n?rm?l sleep times. At tim??, ??u might just n??d t? mut? ??ur ??ll? or even r???h?dul? if you need to be on childcare duty.
Optimize your Workspace for Focus.
Alth?ugh ??u d?n’t h?v? to stick t? this ?ll th? tim?, it’? a good practice to ???ign one ?r?? of the h?u?? as your dedicated workspace. This m?k?? it easier t? limit di?tr??ti?n? ?nd f??u? on w?rk without h?ving it seep int? ??r??n?l lif?. When you ?t?rt ??ur w?rkd?? b? ?rriving at ??ur d?di??t?d workspace with a ??ff?? ?nd wearing d??tim? ?l?th??, ??u l?t your mind know th?t this is th? time and space where ??u start w?rking. Id??ll?, thi? would be a ????r?t? r??m th?t you ??n turn int? a home office. But if th?t’? n?t an ??ti?n, tr? t? find a n?n-??mmun?l ??rn?r ?f your home t? turn int? ??ur w?rk?????. Agr?? with everyone in your h?u??h?ld ?n the rul?? for wh?n and h?w th?? can g?t ??ur attention. Parents can also get their kid? t? help out designing h?m?m?d? office signs, with green f?r “???, ??u’r? ?ll?w?d in” and red for “d?n’t even think ?b?ut it”, this way they will know when and when not to come in.
Be Easy on Yourself, and Ask for Help.
As parents juggling work ?nd ?hild??r?, ??u deserve a m?d?l and ?ll th? h?l?ing hands you ??n get. Thi? might mean g?tting support from a family m?mb?r, hiring a b?b??itt?r, ?r ??king your boss f?r a bit m?r? l?ni?n?? during w?rk-fr?m-h?m? hours.
SUMMARY
Above all, don’t expect ??ur??lf t? balance everything ?ff?rtl???l? ?nd effectively ?ll th? time. Look f?r opportunities t? make ??ur w?rk life ???i?r, but also be kind t? ??ur??lf wh?n thing? don’t g? ?? ?l?nn?d. If thing? ?r? hard t? m?n?g?, try t? t?k? some tim? off if ??u can, ?nd remember t? f??u? ?n ??lf-??r? t??. It can be a ?tr???ful ?itu?ti?n f?r a l?t ?f ????l?, so it’s im??rt?nt to f??u? on your well-being ?nd kn?w your limits.
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