Ten Tips For Parents Working From Home

Ten Tips For Parents Working From Home

Working from home is a highly coveted liberty for many, especially now. Those who have the option of earning a living without leaving the house while maintaining financial stability during these uncertain times are extremely blessed. That said, successfully working from home with little kids who need and deserve your attention, patience, and love requires some creative strategizing. 

While I am so grateful for the opportunity, I’m still finding my way in this new normal, and there are moments when it is a struggle. When starting out on this path, I learned quite a bit from my husband, who is a great example of full-time home employment. He figured out how to make it work in nearly every scenario through decades of experience working remotely

1.In order to get organized for the day, he wakes up early and attacks the heavy thinking tasks while the house is quiet.

2. When finding time to come say hi, helping with kids’ meals or refilling coffee in between calls he has an amazing way of being present during these short interactions. 

3. Most days he takes a break to exercise. Sometimes it’s for thirty minutes and others closer to an hour, but he always makes it happen. From experience, he recognizes that a clear head helps him perform better at his job. 

4. He sets hours and sticks to them in order to create a work-life balance. By 6 pm, he’s generally done and ready to engage in distraction-free quality time. He is able to do this because he invested fully during the workday to be sure his time was well spent.

This is a strong base for people that work from home in their regular lives, however now it’s a whole new world with Covid-19. We now have kids at home without child care, so it’s logically a bit trickier. We’ve been forced to elevate our game plan and alter our approach at times. 

5. A schedule is good for everyone. We let our kids sleep in, then we do breakfast, get them dressed and start the schedule. While there needs to be flexibility and some built-in playtime, kids thrive with structure and variety.

6. Acknowledge that most people are in the same boat. If a kid walks into the sightline during a virtual meeting or spills a box of marbles while you’re on a call, roll with it. We are all human, and we are in this together. 

7. If you have an important call upcoming and your spouse takes the point person parent hat during that time it draws a valuable balance. Organize your days together beforehand, eliminating the potential for friction in a hectic moment.

8. If the day gets overtaken with diversions related to the care of a sweet kid, allow yourself grace and take some evening time to get your work done. It feels more appropriate to permit a show or some screen time once the evening sets in after a nourishing day. So seize the moment, open that laptop and do what you need to do. 

9. Even if you can’t have babysitters in person, FaceTiming with a grandparent, a cousin or friend is quite helpful once in a while to help parents manage the juggle.

10. If you don't have a designated home office, lean toward a practical workspace like your kitchen table or island where you can set up consistently. Doing so gradually produces a sense of purpose and heightened focus when it’s time to open your laptop.

As in all things, recognize the struggle and move forward armed with gratitude. Practice these tools to figure out what works best for you.

In the meantime, consider ending every day by doing something for someone less fortunate. A thoughtful or generous act will leave you feeling energized and ready for whatever tomorrow brings, and it might be a creative morale boosting activity to carry out as a family.

Check out the blog for more inspiration from a list of Online Educational Tools. Explore helpful tips on Adapting to Our New Normal, or find time to Run For Fun With Your Kids.

Also, please take a moment to explore the happyly team's Daily Schedule For Preschool and Grade School. As always, we welcome your family's highlights! Tag us on Instagram @gethappyly!