Parenting While Working at Home: Survival Strategies
Tips from our Maryland Licensed Counselors and Family Therapists, and Life and Career Coach Julie Morris .
You made a hasty transition to remote work during the pandemic, and never looked back. Or perhaps you’ve made a recent change and your remote work is just beginning. Either way, it’s time to refresh your space and your plans to ensure that they’re working for YOU. And your family too.
Build a Workspace that Supports Your Mental Health
Consider how you’re feeling about your workspace. Is it time to make some changes?
Create a space that is wholly yours for work, even if you have to transform a corner in a room where your children will be. Options such as corner desks and wall-mounted desks can accommodate nearly any situation.
If you’re working at the kitchen table, consider what else might work. Or make a kit that transforms the table to a workspace at work time. We discuss how to do that with your child’s learning space here, with additional considerations for those with ADHD.
Choose comfortable seating that won’t do long-term damage to your body. There are ergonomic options out there for every budget and style. With the right design, you’ll work more efficiently and comfortably.
Optimize your workspace in other ways, too. Set it up and decorate it in a way that is easy for you to manage. Add touches to encourage a joyful and productive mindset. These are the things you couldn’t do in a cubicle. Take advantage of the chance to do them now!
Though it might not come naturally, it does help to keep your workspace neat and organized.* Put away any distractions or mess that might detract from your ability to keep your positive workflow. Even if you just hide them in a closet. And purge the invading toys and sippy cups regularly.
Plan to Prevent (Decrease) Meltdowns
First, make a schedule that works for all of you and commit to sticking to it. The more consistency you can give your little ones, the better. Routine will help your kids adapt to you working from home, and it will be easier for you to handle both them and your job.
Decide what parts of your work need to be prioritized when. Plan for your kids to be occupied with the activity they most reliably enjoy or can manage at times when you need their independence.
For instance, if you have a daily morning meeting with your team. Or a video call every Thursday afternoon. Arrange for your kids to be more independent at that time. And yes, a small amount of age-appropriate screentime** is just fine.
Consider when your children are calmest. Maybe after they’ve eaten, napped, or enjoyed a favorite activity. These are excellent times to plan to do work that requires your full attention.
Determine how often you can reasonably have breaks and how long you can schedule those breaks to be. For very young children, you’ll need to schedule your breaks at the times when feeding or soothing is typically needed. For older kids, plan ahead and pack lunches if the timing doesn’t line up.
Finally, though the schedule will help, accept that there will sometimes be disruptions to your work. Let your supervisors, coworkers, and clients know that you have children so there might be an occasional hiccup.
Make contingency plans for handling these inevitable interruptions***. Consider some visual reminders of the times you’re unavailable, like closing your door and hanging a sign on it. We recommend hanging signs that show when you WILL be available, so kids know they won’t wait forever. Find detailed advice from us about visual schedules here.
Use Technology
There will be times you simply won’t be able to complete things at your desk. Set your smartphone or tablet up to be able to handle tasks that you can accomplish remotely while breastfeeding, prepping lunch, or whatever else your child needs.
Productivity apps can help keep you on schedule and organized when tiny humans or other things are demanding your attention. Research them below to see which may be the best fit for your needs.****
Prevent Parent Meltdowns Too!
It can be draining doing the double-duty of work and childcare, so carve out some time every week for self-care. Make time for meditation to help lower stress levels and improve mental and physical health. Soak in a luxurious bath or get a massage. Ask your parenting partner to take over at specific times so that these are possible.
Connect with other parents like you to remind yourself you’re not alone. Take a nap, go for a run, eat some chocolate, or whatever else helps you truly relax. Just make sure it is something you enjoy and mentally benefit from.
Find the Joy
Working from home with your children present can be difficult, but it can also be a special time in which you find joy in your babies and your work. Design your schedule and workspace to work with you and your family, and make time to take care of yourself. You, your children, and your work will all be better for it.
If you’d like more personalized support, request a parenting consult here.
More tips from other experts:
*Make your home office soothing with these tips: https://www.thespruce.com/home-office-organization-ideas-4586995
**For age guidelines regarding media use, try https://www.commonsensemedia.org/ or the American Academy of Pediatrics
***Check out https://www.flexjobs.com/blog/post/cope-kids-interrupt-workflow/ for strategies to use when your kids interrupt your work too much.
****Productivity apps can help! Find a few at https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/g32714945/best-productivity-apps/
We especially liked this additional article about working from home with kids, from Zenbusiness.
