8 life hacks for parents who work from home

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

How to work at home with children and keep up with everything? No way. But something is in our hands. As a last resort, you can always shoot a viral video.

It is good when you can transfer the children to other family members or a nanny for a while and work quietly. However, even this does not save from incidents, as, for example, Professor Robert Kelly during an interview for the BBC.

It's fun, but if kids get in the way, you have to get out of it.

1. Make the nursery and home safe

It is suggested that children can play on their own while you work. At least 15 minutes. Therefore, the children's room should be as safe as possible. Tightly closed sockets and windows, corners with softeners. So you will not be distracted every minute to check if everything is fine with the child.

Practice shows that independent games are the most destructive. Therefore, you need to come to terms in advance with painted wallpaper, a wardrobe pasted over with pictures, a destroyed carpet and other joys. It is better to immediately provide children with opportunities for unlimited creativity than to twitch over every trifle and break away from work.

2. Create a work area

The ideal option is your own office. If you are short on space, at least equip a work area out of the reach of children. And do not put objects related to children on the work table yourself. This is necessary in order to:

• Protect things from paints, plasticine and glue.
• Tune in to a working mood in front of the computer.
• The children realized that there is a special place in the house, where they cannot go without permission.

3. Divide the types of work

In any job, there are small procedures like checking mail. And there is an activity that requires maximum concentration.

Think about when you need to focus. Do this work while the children are asleep. And set aside the little things for a while when they play or watch cartoons on their own. You will still be distracted, but for small tasks this is not so critical.

4. Switch to a children's day regimen

Many parents work at night and take care of their children during the day. Everything is fine, only it is not clear when to sleep.

Children sleep more than adults, but not so much that parents have time for everything in the world while the child is resting.

My son stopped sleeping in the afternoon when he was a year and a half, but he slept well at night. I went to bed on time, except that by 11 pm I was no longer able to work at all efficiently, although I am a typical owl. Just fiddling with a small child takes a lot of energy.

I switched to the children's regime - I fell asleep at the same time with my son and got up at five in the morning. I had enough time to get enough sleep, to do the most difficult work with a fresh mind, and when the child woke up, I did small tasks.

Try it, you may not be the night owl you think you are.

5. Explain to all family members that working from home is also work

Many people think that working from home is good, because you can do everything - play, work, and cook porridge. If someone in the household still believes in this myth, develop it. Let them not wait for perfect order, a three-course meal and everything that a housewife can provide, but for which the employee has no time.

6. When you sit down to work, clean yourself up

This is a general rule of thumb for all freelancers. Be sure to change into something that at least roughly resembles office clothes.

• Firstly, this way you will not have unpleasant situations when they called you on Skype, and you cannot answer because of porridge in your hair.
• Second, you will be prepared for the unexpected. If during a conversation or a call, children burst into the work area, you can apologize, get up and take them to the next room by turning on the cartoon. And no one will see that you have a jacket, but no pants, so you are sitting in family shorts.
• Third, children understand more than we think. When mom or dad puts on a work suit, this is a signal for children: "Don't distract me, I'm going to work!"

7. Make friends with your neighbors

Sometimes there is no one to leave the child at all. Even for a minute. But you have an important interview or call waiting for you. How to be? If you have friendly neighbors who can take a child to their place for 10–20 minutes during the day or come to visit and keep him busy with a game, appreciate them.

If someone calls you, you can postpone the conversation for 10 minutes and ask for help. Do not bother neighbors with such requests often, this is an option in case of emergency. And don't forget to thank them for that.

8. Be sure to pay attention to children

Children can insist on your attention here and now, immediately. Sometimes it is better to distract from work, devote half an hour to active games and teaching the child, and then return to business.

The mode "half an hour - play, half an hour - work" is much more effective than the mode "I tried to work all day, but the child did not give it."

A child who has received his dose of care is more comfortable playing alone. And if the child understands that mom and dad are ready to communicate with him, then he has no extra reason to moan and beg for time for himself.