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More and more moms are working from home nowadays, often while watching their children (including me!). Remote work provides a unique opportunity to be able to spend all day with your children and make a living. That doesn’t mean it’s easy! Some days you’ll want to tear your hair out. But there are some practical ways to survive working from home with children.
Set aside dedicated time for your children
Maybe you play with your children first thing in the morning, or maybe you set aside time in the afternoon for them. The most important thing is that you and your children know that there’s specific time set aside for you to be together and play together. This might keep your children calmer throughout the day, and it will help you feel better about working if you’re dealing with any troublesome mom guilt.
Be flexible
When it comes to working from home with children, flexibility is key. It’s difficult to have a set schedule when you’ve got kids, so be willing to move things around if you can. Figure out what you need to get done each done and prioritize it as needed but understand that surprises are going to pop up. This is why if you’re going to work from home with children, it’s important to have an understanding and flexible boss. Ideally, you’re your own boss, but that isn’t always the case. It’s also helpful to use a laptop, so you can work anywhere in the house or even in the yard while your kids play.
Take advantage of quiet hours
This might mean before they wake up or after they go to bed, depending on when your brain is most likely to be working. This also might include nap time, depending on the age of your children. Set aside this time for working on anything big that requires real focus. Leave the smaller stuff for when your children are awake.
Plan activities
Depending on their age, their attention span might not be very long. But setting up activities for them to do throughout the day can keep them calmer and focused on their own play. This can be basic like coloring and Play-doh, or it can be more complicated like sensory bins and craft projects. If you’ve got a baby, you can rotate them through stations like their bouncer, their swing, and a baby carrier. Whatever your children love and is age-appropriate.
As you continue to work from home with children, you’ll discover your own tips and tricks. What works for you is going to depend on you, your children, and your children’s age. Take each day as it comes, and figure it out as you go.
Wondering what kind of schedule you can keep while working from home with kids? I broke down my own for you!
Erin Lafond is a writer, website creator, and mom. She survived new motherhood by Googling things a lot, calling her mother, and embracing trial and error. Now, she shares her knowledge with all new moms. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband and son (soon to be two sons!).
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