Aug. 11, 2022
5 Practical Ways to Get More Done Working at Home with Kids
Most parents are familiar with juggling family and professional responsibilities. And for parents who work from home, those challenges are compounded. Fortunately, there’s hope. While there’s currently no “hack” to pack extra hours into each day, there are ways working parents can accomplish more, even with kids underfoot. Avoiding chaos isn’t always possible, but these tips from Rivero Realtors offer practical advice on checking everything off your daily to-do list.
Implement a Routine
No matter your children’s ages or your line of work, setting up a routine can help the whole family stay on track. A bit of spontaneity is fun, of course. However, outlining your family’s daily schedule in order can help everyone understand what’s coming next and what needs to happen when. Younger kids may find a visual schedule helpful, too.
In fact, Zero to Thrive’s experts confirm that routines support social-emotional development starting in early childhood. Outlining a bedtime routine is healthy for children as well, studies suggest, especially if early wake times are part of your family’s work-life balance.
With purposeful transitions from one activity to the next, you may even prevent meltdowns – on both your kids’ end and your own. For parents working outside the home, sticking to an ordered routine minimizes late mornings and missed appointments, too.
Coordinate with Your Team
If you’re running your own business from home, you may find it difficult to oversee a team of remote workers. When managing a remote team, you’ll need to effectively define goals and tasks, manage proactively, and make sure you're using the same platforms to communicate.
Cleanse Your Space
An organized home is far easier to live in than a cluttered one, and when everything has its place, you’ll be less stressed, too, says Thrive. Spending a few minutes each evening picking up discarded toys, soiled clothing, and bringing dirty dishes to the kitchen can help the following morning feel less overwhelming.
Save deep cleaning for days when you have less work or fewer family tasks to handle. Eliminating dust and germs means your workweek will be that much easier to handle, even if you’re only heading into your home office.
Enlist Expert Help
Whether your children are school-age or still need lots of hands-on care, there are myriad challenges when working from home with kids underfoot. If you’re telecommuting and need care for your kids, explore local educational programs.
Not only can a high-quality childcare environment help open up your packed schedule, but studies suggest it may also be beneficial for your child’s development, confirms Motherly.
You can also enlist the help of freelancers and services. For example, instead of attempting to create your own website, hire a freelance web designer. Or if you’d like to register your business as a limited liability company (benefits include more flexibility and reduced liability), you can save yourself a lot of hassle and simply hire a formation service to file for you.
Dedicate Time to De-Stressing
Even with a solid daily routine and a relatively clean house, taking time away from work and household responsibilities is essential for minimizing chaos. Especially when the workday ends, it’s crucial to decompress and do things you enjoy with the people you love.
With kids, reconnecting at the end of the day means meaningful time with mom and dad that’s not bound by schedules, rules, or quiet time for parents’ remote meetings. Addressing mental health through gentle and honest discussion is just one way to express support for one another and air any underlying anxieties your kids may have.
For some people, de-stressing involves pursuing personal goals, like going back to school. Pursuing a different job, like medical coding, could allow you better work/life balance with more flexible hours or even a higher income. Plus it provides a tremendously satisfying sense of accomplishment. Apply online for a medical coding course that you can complete in only 30 hours of coursework. Then, you can decide if you want to move forward with other related skills or pursue a new career in medical coding.
As both a professional and a parent, you’re already adept at juggling multiple responsibilities and, more than likely, likely multiple children. But these practical tips can help make your days more manageable, no matter how many Zoom meetings or toddler tantrums you need to address.
If you decide that you need a bigger space to accommodate your family and your business needs, Rivero Realtors are here to help. We will find you the right home in the right area to help you meet your personal and professional goals. Contact us today to begin your house hunting process.
Photo Credit: Ketut Subiyanto via Pexels
Blog written by: Katie Conroy