Besides the convenience, there is an absolute beauty in working from home. Gone are the days when you have to wake up early and take the bus to work. Now, you even have the freedom to wear just about anything you want.
Whether you’re a dad who loves to take your paperwork home or a mom who manages a small home business, working from within the confines of your home doesn’t have to interfere with parenting.
Here are some of the helpful tips and hacks to survive working from home without actually losing your sanity.
Tip #1: CREATING A STRICT SCHEDULE
Veteran work-at-home parents are well aware that the key in order to survive working from home is working smarter – not harder. Working smarter includes creating your own schedule and following it like a religion.
Your tasks should be lined up before you start your day. Assign a specific time for a specific task – driving your kids to school, calls to your boss, meetings, quick grocery runs, cooking, etc. While many tasks can be done anytime, some important tasks require your full attention. These things will need to be scheduled when your kid is in school or busy doing his or her homework in the next room.
Tip #2: TRAINING YOUR KIDS
Have a sit-down with your kids and make them realize the importance of a quiet environment when you’re working from home. Naturally, they will have a difficult time to understand anything about quotas and bosses and deadlines.
Make them realize that you love working from home because it lets you work closer to them. Teach your kids that a locked door means you are not to be disturbed and that the only time they should knock is in cases of emergency. Remind them it’s not an emergency when his big brother takes his stuffed monkey.
Tip #3: MONITOR YOUR KIDS’ ACTIVITIES
Parents who work from home can’t just run to the next room every five minutes to check up on their kids. While you can’t always be with them, their phones can. Installing a Snapchat spy proves to be the best way for every work-at-home parent to remotely check their kid’s activities.
Kids nowadays are always on their phones – posting status updates on Facebooks, tweeting, and sending Snapchat stories. Installing this app allows parents to see what their kids are up to, see their call and text logs, and track their locations.
This app, mSpy, allows you to check up on your kids anytime using any browser. Knowing what your kids are planning to do will allow you to protect them from bad experiences and unsafe environments.
Tip #4: ENTERTAINING YOUR KIDS
If you have teens or toddlers who won’t disturb you so long as they’re doing something else, you might want to work with them – not against them. Open your workspace and share your table with them. While they are busy playing on their iPads or reading a book, you can work beside them.
You don’t have to ignore them. Break the ice by complimenting their work or asking them how their day went. Just don’t give them the impression that you are not working.
If you’ve been working for hours, take short breaks from work to go to your kids’ rooms to play with them or just talk.
Tip #5 FOCUSING ON FAMILY TIME
It’s so easy to sneak in some work while spending quality time with your family. You have to be present 100% when you’re with them. Keep your phone out of reach so you won’t be tempted to check your work email.
Tip #6 CONSIDER GETTING CHILDCARE HELP
While most parents choose to work from home to spend more time with their kids, sometimes the workload just doesn’t permit it. There will be days when you won’t be able to even stop for a quick meal, let alone spend some time with your kids.
You do not want to leave your kids unattended, do you? Be smart and humble enough to admit this by asking for help. Nannies and daycares will be your best bet in cases like this. Make sure you have someone you really trust who’s able to help out anytime you’ll be swamped with work deliverables. Do thorough research and read through the feedback given to them online in order to make the right choice.
Are you a work-at-home parent running your own business? Share with us your tips in the comments section!
