5 Tips on Managing Your Kids At Home While Working Remotely
Whether you’re new to remote work or you’ve been a work-at-home superstar for years, adding kids to the mix is a whole different ball game. Productivity has been turned on its head as parents try to strike a balance between work and home life. And while you want to enjoy having the family together under the same roof all day, you also know that not working isn’t an option.
The struggle is real, but these five tips can make every day feel like less of a battle:
1. Maintain a Routine
When kids are home from your school and you’re working remotely, all bets are off when it comes to a routine. Maybe you’re all sleeping later or eating at odd times of the day. And then you wonder where the time went when you didn’t get all your work finished!
Your kids can benefit from a routine just as much as you do. Try to stick to a normal schedule, especially when it comes to eating and sleeping. Break up the day with specific activities, such as doing all chores in the morning or taking an afternoon walk at 2:00 every day. This not only creates something to look forward to but can help everyone maintain a sense of normalcy in an otherwise chaotic world.
2. Teach Your Kids to Do Household Chores
Household chores are a win/win: kids get to learn responsibility and you get to check off some items from your own to-do list. Even kids as young as age 2 or 3 can lend a hand around the house.
For example, young children can take charge of making their own beds, putting toys away, tidying the living room, or carrying dishes in the sink. Older kids can take out the trash, put away their laundry, and clean off the kitchen table or countertops.
3. Sneak In Some Learning on Screen Devices
Most parents try to limit their kids’ screen time, but for the time you do allow, try to maximize its impact by making it educational. For example, you could allow screen time only if the kids are playing certain games on their tablets, such as spelling, math, or other learning games. Or, you could let them watch a documentary instead of mindless cartoons on Netflix.
4. Let Them Be Bored (It’s Healthy!)
Bored children might be a thorn in your side if they’re vocal about their boredom, but it’s actually good for kids to be bored occasionally. Boredom is an opportunity to let creativity thrive. In fact, you could even go so far as to take away toys, video games, and screens and encourage them to find new ways to entertain themselves.
5. Plan for Quality Time
Most importantly, work-from-home parents should go ahead and plan on being less productive during the workday. Know that kids are going to interrupt your train of thought more than once per day, no matter what parameters you put into place.
If you can’t beat them — join them! Plan to take extended breaks to play games, read stories, and spend time together. Once they’ve had some of your attention, they’ll be in a better position to entertain themselves while you continue working.
And if you’re worried about losing productivity, consider hiring a virtual assistant that can lessen your workload and fill in the gaps.
We’re here to help and provide many more tips and tricks for working remotely. Our experts are available to help anytime and our Recruitment Specialists are ready to connect you with your ideal virtual coworker.
For more information, book a free consultation with our Team.