I have been a work-from-home mom for seven years, and I love it. But I'm not gonna lie, it's not an easy thing to do. I mean it's easy when the kids are at school and my husband is at work. When that's the case, I am productive, focused, and in the zone to get ish done. But when the kids are home, working from home is challenging. Not impossible, but most definitely challenging, which is why I want to share some tips for working from home when you've got your kids at home, too.
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These are things that I have learned from experience that I hope will be helpful for those of you who are just starting on your work-from-home journey, have been working from home for a while and need help staying on task, or for those of you that all of a sudden have to work from home. All us work-from-home mamás are like colleagues who can help each other out with tips and advice so we can all excel. The truth is that only other moms who work from home know the struggle that is trying to work while being interrupted 1,013 times for things like snacks, mediating fights, and wiping other people's butts.
Don't get me wrong, having the option of working from home is a blessing, especially when so many don't. But that blessing at times can feel like a curse when you can't seem to get anything done because your kids are being kids. How dare they? It's easy to lose your temper with them, which leads to you feeling like a jerk because really they aren't doing anything wrong. It's OK, you're only human. Don't be too hard on yourself. Instead, learn from experience and adjust so that working from home isn't torture for everyone in your home.
Plan meals ahead of time.
Just because your kids aren't going to school, doesn't mean you can't pack them lunches the night before. If you have breakfast planned, lunch packed, and dinner ready to go, you are cutting down on so many interruptions and saving time that you can use for working. At lunch time, kids can go grab their own lunches and get their meal on without you having to lift a finger off your keyboard.
Have a dedicated work space.
Give yourself the gift of a dedicated work space. We can't all have an entire office at home to work from, but we can all create a space that is just for us to work at. A corner in your bedroom, a table in your laundry space, a little desk somewhere. When you are in that space, your kids will know that you are working.
The early bird gets work done.
Getting up earlier may not seem appealing, but it can give you a huge head start on the day. Even if you get up just 30 minutes before your kids do, that's 30 minutes more that you have to set yourself up for success that day. It might not seem like a lot of time, but you can get a lot done in 30 minutes when no one is trying to get your attention.
Put the kids on a schedule.
I have a schedule posted in our kitchen that my kids can refer to and know what they should be doing at any given time. It includes meal times, "homework" times, chore time, screen time, exercise time, and free time. They actually enjoy keeping to the schedule.
Prioritize your work tasks each day.
Figure out your most important work tasks for the day so that you can make sure to get those done. That way when the kids are napping or your partner is on duty, you can be sure to get the most important things done. Other things that aren't as important and don't require as much concentration can wait.
Got a partner? Partner up!
If you have a partner at home, have him take care of the kids and all their needs while you work. If he has to work from home as well, take turns so that you can both get quality time to work and quality time with the kids. Set up schedules so you both know when you can work.
Learn to keep your mouth shut!
If your partner is in charge of the kids and you are supposed to be working, let your partner be in charge. Do not butt in with your opinions. Do not chime in on conversations you overhear. Do not keep reminding everyone of what they should be doing. You need to zip it! It's time to work, not time to meddle.
Tune them out.
Noise cancelling headphones are a gift from heaven for work-from-home parents. Obviously, don't wear them if you are the only adult on duty because you need to be able to hear what your kids are up to. But when there is another adult on duty, use these heavenly noise blockers to help you concentrate.
Be patient with yourself and your kids.
I know, easier said than done. Still, patience is a must. You will be interrupted, you will lose your temper, you will all survive. Take a deep breath, remember that your kids are interrupting you because they love you and like being with you. If your temper gets the best of you, stop and take five minutes to reconnect in a loving way with your kids and then get back to work.
Let them make art!
Your kids need fun things to do to keep them occupied. Art is so much fun and can keep them occupied for a good chunk of time. Keep art supplies on hand for daily art activities. This doesn't mean you need to spend a ton of money, either. You know that kids love playing with and making things out of empty cardboard boxes, let them.
Use nap times to get ish done!
If you have kids that still nap, then nap times are when you need to be ultra-focused on getting work done. Do not do the laundry, do not wash the dishes, do not check in on social media! Instead, get as much work done as you can.
Take breaks, take lots of breaks.
Take breaks throughout the day to eat with your kids, dance with your kids, play with your kids, and because it's good for your brain to take breaks from work. You can set a timer so the kids know how long you'll be on break. When the timer goes off, it's time to get back to work.
Set up a pre-approved snack station.
I don't know about your kids, but my kids are constantly asking for snacks. Setting up a pre-approved snack station, where they can take their pick of whatever is there is such a time and aggravation saver for me. They know that they can eat anything that is there without having to ask me first.
Embrace the mess.
Let your kids make messes that they will later clean up. I'm not saying to let them smear beans or any other brown-colored things on the wall, but let them make messes that are within reason. Like if they are playing with their toys, let them play without expecting them to keep the living room pristine. Later, when you are done working, you can ask them to pick everything up.
Use screen time to your advantage.
Yes, kids shouldn't get too much screen time, but you know what? If you really need to get something done, go ahead and let them have some screen time. It doesn't make you a horrible mom. Sometimes relaxing the rules is necessary.
When it's time to stop working, clock out.
Just because you can work any time you want to, doesn't mean you should. When you are done with your work day, be done with it. You want your kids to respect your work time, right? Well, then you need to respect their need to not have you working all the time.
